


Arrange The Sorrows And Joys

by flax_wench



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Accidental Voyeurism, Alternate Universe - Nanny, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blow Jobs, Break Up, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, Kid Fic, M/M, Masturbation, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rimming, yes frank is a nanny don't come for me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-04-09
Packaged: 2019-03-25 17:59:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 25,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13840038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flax_wench/pseuds/flax_wench
Summary: Frank is a young, unemployed former musician in desperate need of a job; Gerard is a wealthy, single father searching for a nanny for his beloved baby girl, and hires Frank to be her nanny against Mikey's advice. Much to everyone's surprise, he turns out to be a perfect fit, and to no one's surprise, the two men slowly begin to fall for one another.Love, angst, a whole lotta smut, and an adorable baby named Lola.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LilaHurley](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilaHurley/gifts).



> “I wondered how many times I would be told 'Be joyous' before I died. Can a man arrange the sorrows and joys of his life to the Christian calendar?” - Maria McCann, As Meat Loves Salt

His eyes ran up the length of the skyscraper in front of him, head tipping back as he had to nearly bend backwards just to see the top of the damned thing. The windows were shining and spotless, sunlight reflecting off of the smooth surface, nearly blinding him; he closed his eyes quickly, the bright reflection hurting his eyes as spots danced behind his eyelids. Shaking his head to help steady himself, Frank opened his eyes and marched towards one of the giant revolving doors, doing his best not to run into any stray Manhattanites as they bustled up the crowded sidewalk. This was it, this was his moment. _Don’t fuck this up._

A pleasant smile greeted him at the front desk in the lobby; the woman’s makeup was immaculate, her skin smooth and unblemished, hair pulled up into a high ponytail on the crown of her head. Her teeth were perfectly straight and proportionate, something Frank had never bothered to noticed about someone before- but her smile was blinding, and he couldn’t help but return it. Noticing her formal blazer, pencil skirt, and nude pumps, he suddenly felt very underdressed in his black slacks and white button down shirt. He wasn’t even sure why he had bothered with attempting to hide his tattoos, really; unless he added gloves, it was impossible to cover up his knuckles. The receptionist arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at him as she took notice of them.

“How can I help you, sir?” Her demeanor was kind enough, but as she studied him a bit closer, Frank noticed a slight shift in her attitude; maybe it was the tattoos, or the business casual clothing, or the plugs in his ears, or the fact that he had to keep pushing his hair out of his eyes because he was an idiot and didn’t think to get rid of his fucking mohawk before his interview in one of the fanciest buildings in downtown Manhattan. Thank god she couldn’t see the scorpion on his neck.

“I’m here for an interview,” he quipped, giving his best shit eating grin as he watched her eyes widen in surprise. He didn’t have to tell her what the interview was for; she didn’t need to know that he wasn’t some media mogul, that he wasn’t a genius or a wealthy businessman. Curiosity mingled with the surprise in her eyes.

“Of course, sir. Do you know the name of who you’ll be interviewing with?” She picked up the phone at her desk, placing the receiver beneath her ear, waiting for him to continue.

“Mr. Way,” he stated, noticing how her eyebrows shot to her hairline. “I’m a few minutes early, though, so there’s no rush.”

She put the receiver down back in its cradle and walked around the desk swiftly, making her way towards him. “There’s always a rush for Mr. Way,” she huffed, picking up speed and passing by Frank entirely. He watched her a bit dumbly, unsure what to do until she turned on her heel and signaled to him. “What are you waiting for? Follow me!”

*

_”Sorry, kid,” his manager said, definitely not sounding sorry in the least, “but you can’t keep missing shifts like this. I wish there was something else I could do,” Frank knew that was a lie, “but we’ve gotta let you go.”_

_All Frank could really do was shrug. It’s not like he hadn’t seen this coming from a mile away; his boss didn’t take too kindly to the fact that Frank had been sick lately, and Frank didn’t give a shit because working as a short order cook wasn’t exactly his idea of the perfect job anyway. He didn’t exactly have bigger and better dreams; well, he did, but those dreams weren’t going to work out._

_Two years ago he’d broken his right wrist, making it difficult to do what he truly loved, which was making music. And even after all the months of physical therapy his parents had so graciously paid for, his wrist would never be the same. After that, he was unceremoniously kicked out of his band, and had been working dead-end jobs ever since, doing his best just to get by so he wouldn’t have to move back in with his parents or go back to school._

_“Listen Frankie,” his manager clapped a hand on his shoulder, looking him dead in the eye. “You’re a good kid, and you’re gonna find what you were meant to do. But you and I both know it ain’t bein’ a short order cook.” A soft, genuine smile reached the man’s eyes, and it helped to soften the blow. “I normally don’t do this, but I’ll even give you a reference.”_

_“Why?” He couldn’t help but wonder, given the fact that he’d just been canned for being unreliable. His manager shrugged, returning to his desk, effectively dismissing Frank from the cramped office._

_“I like you, for whatever reason,” he said, his thick New York accent making Frank smile. “And I don’t normally like punk kids from Jersey, so quit askin’ before I change my mind. Got it?”_

_“Got it,” Frank nodded, removing his apron and setting it on the chair in the corner of the office. “Thanks for the reference.”_

_“Any time, kid. Now get outta here, go find something you love.”_

_Frank turned and practically ran through the restaurant, the amazing, fleeting feeling of freedom settling into his bones as the warm, early autumn air hit his skin when he finally reached the street. He knew this feeling would end; he knew tomorrow morning, as he sat on his couch in nothing but an old pair of boxers with nothing to do, he would start to doubt himself, start to panic. But right now he basked in the feeling of freedom that only came the moment you realized that you didn’t have to go to work the next morning._

_He fished his phone out of his pocket as he headed down the sidewalk in the direction of his apartment, pulling up Jamia’s number. He wasn’t really sure how she would react, but she would handle it better than his parents, that was for sure._

_“Heya Frankie,” she answered on the first ring as always. “What’s up, buttercup?”_

_“Just got fired,” he chuckled when he heard her barking laughter, and he knew deep down he should’ve been more upset by this, but it somehow just felt right. “Wanna come over and get trashed?”_

_“Frankie, it’s Tuesday.”_

_“Jesus Christ, Jamia, you act like we’re fuckin’ 40 years old.” He made a point to step on every crunchy leaf he came across. “Is there some law against getting trashed on a Tuesday?”_

_“Well, I mean… some of us have work in the morning,” she laughed, “so I think I’ll take a raincheck.”_

_“Ouch, way to rub it in,” he descended the stairs to the subway, taking each step two at a time. “Guess I’ll be drinking by myself like the unemployed loser that I am.”_

_“Guess you will,” he could practically hear Jamia’s smile over the phone. “Love you, Frankie. I’ll come over tomorrow after work, how about that? I can make it there by around six if traffic isn’t too bad.”_

_“I’ll be sure to have my pants on by then. Go to bed, old woman.” He smiled as her laughter filled his ears. “Love you too. See you tomorrow.”_

_That night, Frank sat alone on his old couch, having decided that vegging out in his boxers was a bad idea - but vegging out naked? Totally better. He’d lost count of the number of beers he’d had by this point, but he was buzzing pleasantly as he did a little job searching on his old laptop. Everything that popped up was just more of the same; dead-end 9-5 jobs, pizza delivery, kitchen work. And sure, there was nothing wrong with those jobs, he just needed something different._

_As he scrolled down the page a bit further, something caught his eye._

_“A nanny?” He snorted, opening the ad just for laughs. Who needed a nanny anyway? Just send the brat to daycare. As he scrolled down the ad to look at the salary, he nearly choked on his beer. “Starting at… that can’t be right.” He took another swig of beer, wondering if the alcohol was beginning to impair his vision. No way in hell was someone offering a nanny $65k to start. Even in New York City, that was unheard of… unless this couple was loaded or something._

_Frank thought about it for a moment. He thought long, and he thought hard, and then he burst into a fit of hysterics as he imagined himself as a nanny. Him, a 24 year old punk kid from New Jersey, tattoos up and down his body, playing nanny for some rich brat in the city. Fat fuckin’ chance. But as the hours dragged on and the night turned into the early morning, Frank was getting absolutely nowhere with his naked, drunken job hunt. The realization that he was jobless and hadn’t been able to pay this month’s rent even when he had a job hit him like a mack truck, and he became frantic, applying to every job that caught his eye, and even some that didn’t. And finally, when he’d exhausted all of his options, his mind wandered back to that nanny job; he scrolled back up the page and clicked on the ad again._

_“Family from the Upper East Side searching for a loving, live-in nanny for a bright and beautiful 18-month-old girl,” he read to himself as he ran his fingers through his hair, panic rolling over him in waves. “Must be kind, caring, and attentive; willing to help with household duties such as cooking and light cleaning. Must pass a background check and drug test. Start date is immediate.” Frank stared at the screen for a good five minutes, warring with his pride; on the one hand, he had no experience with kids, but how hard could one baby be? Plus he could live on the Upper East Side, how fuckin’ sweet would that be? Then he cringed as he thought about how much shit his friends would give him if he got a job as a nanny._

_“Fuck stereotypical gender roles, I need a fuckin’ paycheck,” he grumbled, uploading his resume into an email along with his cover letter. Before he let himself chicken out, he took one last swig of beer and hit send, shutting his laptop closed as if it had burned him, tossing the old thing to the side. He promptly passed out on the couch, snoring loudly into the night._

*

The elevator ride was long and awkward, the receptionist looking frazzled as she inspected her reflection on the shining surface of one of the elevator walls. She flicked her ponytail back and forth, straightening her blazer and shimmying her pencil skirt down just a tad to smooth out the invisible wrinkles. Frank had to force himself not to roll his eyes.

“No need to stare,” she smirked, eyes never leaving her reflection. “I’m not into short guys anyway.”

He snorted. “Well I’m not into women, so I guess we’re even.” She turned suddenly to look at him, her eyes narrowing. “Am I not gay enough for you or something? Need me to suck a dick to prove it?”

“Might want to drop the language during your interview, kid,” she snarked, “Mr. Way wants his employees to act professionally at all times. Although I’m sure once he gets a load of your tattoos, he’ll send you packing.” She cocked her head to the side with a sneer, like she was in on some joke and Frank was the butt of it. “Maybe he’ll humor you, though. You are _awfully_ pretty.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” he snapped at her, but before she could answer, the elevator came to a halt with a soft ding. She exited swiftly and he followed behind her, grumbling to himself and already in a terrible mood. If this woman ruined his shot at a good, well paying job, he was gonna scream.

The waiting room of Mr. Way’s office was immaculate, the white walls and marble tiled floors practically glowing. The desk in the center of the room was white as well, with sleek silver accents and small silver sculptures decorating the top of the desk. A handsome, angular young man sat behind it, staring at some paperwork with a rather pissed off expression on his face, and his mood only seemed to sour when he saw them approach. The receptionist, however, was positively beaming.

“Hello, Michael,” she cooed, approaching the desk swiftly. Frank lagged behind to watch the scene unfold. “How are you doing this afternoon?”

“Fine,” he muttered, shuffling papers and avoiding eye contact.

“Did you have a good weekend?”

“Mhmm,” he was mumbling, looking around desperately for something to do, eyes landing on Frank for a moment. His expression was mostly blank, but his eyes were practically screaming for help.

“Get up to anything interesting?”

“Nope,” he clipped, looking up at her, “what can I help you with, Brenda? Who is this young man you’ve brought? Is he here to see my brother?”

Brenda spluttered a bit at being cut off from her attempt at flirting. “Well, yes, but-” “I’ll inform him he’s here,” Michael stood swiftly, heading for the door to the right of his desk. “What’s your name?”

“Frank,” he quipped, “Frank Iero.” Michael nodded and moved swiftly to the door, closing it behind him with a thud, leaving Frank and Brenda alone in silence. Frank could see her shoulders deflate as she realized Michael wasn’t coming back anytime soon.

“Good luck,” she said softly, turning on her heel and leaving the office.

“Brenda!” She stopped at the elevator and looked back at him, her eyes tired. “Thank you… for your help, I mean.” She gave a courteous smile and a nod before pushing the button to go downstairs. “And uh… good luck with Michael.”

She chuckled at that, right as the elevator arrived. “Thanks, Frank. But I think you’re more his type than I am.” And with that she disappeared into the elevator; Frank found himself feeling a bit sad for her, but then his nerves kicked in suddenly.

“I’m not gay,” came a familiar monotone voice from behind him, causing him to jump around and find Michael behind his desk again. “Brenda just creeps me out.” Frank barked out a laugh at that, which brought the faintest smile to Michael’s lips. “I’m Mikey, by the way. And my brother’s ready to see you.”

*

_”What?”_

_It was ass o’clock in the morning, and Frank was still drunk from the night before. The sun was shining through his open windows, illuminating the mess he’d accumulated over the months he’d lived there. But the sun wasn’t what had awoken him; no, that had been his phone, screaming at him as he slept peacefully on his old couch. He’d blindly searched for it mostly to turn the damned thing off, but he had been curious as to who was calling at such an hour, who in god’s name had decided it would be a good idea to call him and what was so important that it couldn’t be sent in a fucking text. Much to his annoyance, whoever was on the end of the line remained silent._

_“What?! Come on, dude, it’s like four in the morning-”_

_“Nine, actually,” came a friendly, smooth voice. “I take it I woke you; my apologies.”_

_Frank sighed, rolling over onto his back and shielding his eyes from the sun. “Can I help you with something?” He did his best not to sound annoyed, he truly did, but he knew he was failing miserably._

_“Yes, are you Frank…. Year-oh?”_

_And he had to hand it to the guy, he had been close. Frank knew his name was a tough one to pronounce; it was like his ancestors took the Scrabble bag full of letters, shook it violently, and just dumped the contents out on the floor and decided his vowel-laden surname would do just fine, thank you very much._

_“Um, yes. It’s pronounced eye-ear-oh, actually. But close!”_

_“Well, I apologize again, Mr. Iero. I’m calling in reference to the resume you sent me last night, for the nanny position.”_

_Oh fuck, ohfuckohfuck, Frank completely forgot about that. He smacked his hand over his face, groaning inwardly; he hadn’t expected the guy to actually call him. “Yeah, that’s… that’s me. I applied for the nanny position.”_

_He could hear the man on the end of the line give a soft laugh. “I’ll admit I was surprised to see your application. It’s not very often you get a man applying for the position of a nanny.” This guy was clearly amused, and Frank was tempted to tell him to go fuck himself, before the man’s demeanor suddenly changed. “But it says here you’re a musician as well, yes? Or former musician, I should say.”_

_“Yep, former musician. I uh… I hurt my wrist a couple years ago, and I can’t manage to play guitar for more than an hour or so at a time. It’s still my passion though, it’s still… I miss it terribly.”_

_“Mmm, I’m sorry to hear that. That’s what caught my eye, though. I want my daughter to know as much about music and the arts as possible. Granted, she’s still a baby, barely a toddler, really, but the sooner she gets introduced to the arts, the better.” Frank hummed in approval, and he felt himself soften to this man. “Frank, I’ll be honest with you: I’m a single dad, and a very busy one at that. I’m an art dealer, so I want my daughter’s horizons to be broad, I want her to learn and love the arts, should that be her calling. If she’d rather be a housewife, then I’ll respect that too,” he laughed, and the sound brought a smile to Frank’s face. “I know you don’t have experience with children, but I’d like to meet with you; I don’t like to turn anyone or anything down until I’ve gotten the chance to see things for myself, ya know?”_

_This guy liked to talk._

_“Of course, sir,” Frank nodded along, thinking of all the money he could be potentially earning with this position. “It can’t hurt to meet, right?”_

_“Exactly! So, how are you feeling about tomorrow morning?” Frank heard the man shuffling papers in the background, probably checking his schedule. “Say… 11am?”_

_“Sounds great!” He hated how forced his own voice sounded. He felt like a fraud. “Um, sir, can I ask you something really quickly?”_

_“Of course, Frank. Anything you like.”_

_“Can I get your name?” There was that weird laugh again, and Frank couldn’t figure out what was so funny, or why he found this stranger’s laugh oddly attractive. It was loud and kind of a mix of a giggle and a shout; it was pure joy._

_“Just call me Mr. Way.”_

*

Frank opened the large, white door that lead into Mr. Way’s office. He tried to calm his nerves, to let go of the apprehension he felt and this monumental sense of pressure he’d put upon himself the moment he’d accepted the interview. After all, this wasn’t some regular job behind a computer screen or flipping burgers; he was going to be responsible for a child.

Unlike the stark white, clean, almost hospital-like feel of the reception area, Mr. Way’s office was warm and inviting. A large, mahogany desk sat in the center of the room, which two sleek leather chairs were placed in front of. Large bookshelves lined the long wall behind the desk, and they were filled to the brim with a colorful assortment of books and… vinyl records? It was an impressive collection, but paled in comparison to the magnificent view of Manhattan to his left. Floor-to-ceiling windows lined the left wall, and normally it would’ve made for a breathtaking focal point for the office of a clearly wealthy and important man, had it not been for the striking painting the hung by itself on the far right wall.

It was the portrait of a man, resting, propped up against the trunk of a tree. His eyes were closed, his expression oddly pleasant and accepting, given there was a wound on his chest, staining his white regency blouse. His hair was dark, matching the beard on his handsome, angular face. Frank had no clue why, but he was drawn to the man. He found himself slowly approaching it, the beauty of the painting making his breath catch, completely unaware of the living, breathing man in the room with him.

“L’homme blessé,” came a soft voice from behind him. Frank turned to face the man who was surely Mr. Way, and found the breath had yet again been stolen from him.

He was of average height and slim build, his clothing clearly expensive and well-tailored. He wore a pair of simple black slacks that fit him snugly, emphasizing his frame; a white button down shirt sat tightly across his chest, the sleeves rolled up and the collar opened a bit to reveal a strip of pale skin. Black, unruly hair sat atop his head, emphasizing his hazel eyes and sharp, yet delicate features. Mr. Way smirked as Frank remained motionless and dumbfounded, not expecting such a youthful, handsome man.

Frank searched for something to say. “I’m.. I’m sorry, I don’t speak French.” He felt a blush rising in his cheeks as Mr. Way walked past him to study the painting.

“L’homme blessé, or The Wounded Man. Supposedly a self portrait of Gustave Courbet.” Mr. Way’s smirk was still firmly planted on his handsome face when he turned to look at Frank over his shoulder. “Although, from the photos I’ve seen of Courbet, he was nowhere near as handsome as the man in this painting. Do you like it?”

“The, ah… the painting?” He felt so out of his element, in some high-rise office studying a fucking French painting with this gorgeous man before him. It was a wonder he could speak at all.

“Well, yes. You seem quite taken with it.” Mr. Way made his way back around to the mahogany desk, leaning against the corner of it, folding his arms across his chest, watching Frank intently.

Frank felt like this was some sort of test. “I’m not sure.” Mr. Way raised two perfectly arched eyebrows. “At first glance, one can see it’s clearly beautiful and well-done. But art, particularly paintings, need to be seen more than once. It’s like… it’s like with a lover, I suppose.” He stopped suddenly as Mr. Way chuckled.

“Don’t be shy, I’m simply amused at how much you sound like me. Please,” he gestured towards Frank, “continue.

Taking in a breath and nodding, Frank resumed his thought. “It’s like with a lover: there’s attraction, but that’s just physical. It takes time to know if you truly like someone, to know if you love them. So, with this painting, The Wounded Man, I’m only in the attraction stage. I like looking at him, but I need some time with him to figure out if I’ll want to keep him around in the long run, to see if he’ll become one of my favorites.” Mr. Way was looking at him, clearly pleased.

“That was quite an answer,” he smiled. “You’re much more eloquent when you aren’t nursing a hangover.”

And there it was again, that damn blushing. “You could tell, huh?”

Mr. Way continued to smile. “I’ve spent many a morning recovering from a night spent with too much alcohol. No longer, though.” His smile dimmed, and Frank sensed they were treading in murky waters. “Shall we begin our interview, Frank? Please, take a seat.”

Frank lowered himself into one of the leather chairs as Mr. Way was still perched on the edge of his desk, looking down his nose at him. He couldn’t help but feel as though he were being studied, like Mr. Way was sizing him up somehow. Eventually he had to avert his gaze, unable to handle the intense scrutiny in the other man’s eyes. Things had been going so smoothly; why had they taken such a quick turn?

“You’ll have to excuse me, Frank,” Mr. Way sighed, “I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I’m only trying to guess why you applied for this position. You certainly don’t look the part.”

“Yeah,” Frank rubbed a hand on the back of his neck, “I kinda… I didn’t really mean to apply.”

Mr. Way frowned at him. “I’m not sure I follow.”

His eyes lowered to the floor, the shame flooding through him. Mr. Way was so earnest and only wanted the best for his child, not some jerk off who got drunk and thought the idea of taking care of a kid was amusing. He didn’t want to let Mr. Way down, he wanted to impress him, wanted the man to like him, and those sorts of thoughts alarmed him considering they’d only just met. But he decided honesty was best, and it was the least Mr. Way deserved.

“The other night, I was fired from my job. I hated that job, it was a bad fit from the start, and I was just so happy to be _done_ , so I… got a little drunk?” He winced at the look Mr. Way gave him, but continued. “After a while I started to panic when it hit me that I was out of a job, so I did a little job hunting. At first I wasn’t planning on applying for this position, but I saw the starting salary, and… I couldn’t help myself. I wasn’t even expecting you to call me!” Mr. Way stood then, hands on his slim hips as he paced the room slowly. Frank turned to face him. “I should’ve just declined the interview to begin with, I’m so sorry.”

“You do realize this is my child you would be taking care of? I need someone who’s in this because they love children, specifically my daughter; not just the money.” He ran a hand through his messy, black locks, gaze unfocused. “I appreciate your honesty, Frank. Do you have any experience with children, at all?” Frank shrugged. “A few of my friends have kids, and I’ve been around them.”

“Not exactly extensive,” Mr. Way muttered to himself, continuing to pace his office. “Come with me, Frank.”

Leaping to his feet, Frank followed behind Mr. Way as quickly as he could, but the man was fast, his strides long, so he had to jog to keep up. They marched back out through the reception area past Mikey, who gave them a disinterested glance, to the opposite side of the room, stopping in front of another door that Frank hadn’t originally noticed. It was identical to the door to Mr. Way’s office, and the man turned to stare at Frank, his expression serious. “Watch your step,” he said, his lips curling into a grin. Frank had to will his heart to beat at a normal rhythm; _fuck,_ why did this guy have to be handsome, too? Mr. Way opened the door slowly and peered inside, heading in slowly while Frank followed behind him.

Upon first glance, it looked like a tornado had hit the room. Toys and books were littered across the floor, everything from stuffed bears to building blocks. To Frank’s horror, he noticed there were still buckets and shelves worth of toys that hadn’t even been touched yet, and when he saw the poor soul in the corner of the room picking up stray toys, he had the instant urge to help them somehow. But when they moved, Frank saw a tiny bundle of pink sitting in the corner, plastic hammer in hand, beating like a madwoman on a poor babydoll. The sharp sound of plastic being knocked together rang out through the room, and the child shouted happily along with the noise.

“This,” Mr. Way said softly, and at the sound of his voice the child turned to face them, “is Lola, my daughter.”

The child smiled brightly, getting up on her chubby, pink legging-clad legs and waddled over as fast as she could. She babbled “dada, dada” the entire way, as Mr. Way crouched down to her level, arms outstretched as he beamed at her. She giggled and screamed with delight as her father picked her up and bounced her gently, kissing her chubby cheeks and tickling her tummy. In an instant, Frank felt his heart melting.

“Frank, I’d like you to meet Lola.” The child buried her face into Mr. Way’s hair, throwing her tiny arms around his neck. “Ah, don’t be shy, princess. Say hi to our guest.”

A pair of bright blue eyes stared at him shyly, and when Frank smiled at Lola, he was thrilled that he got one in return. She giggled again, and hid her face back in her father’s hair, tugging the long strands.

“Hi, Lola,” Frank said softly, and she looked up at him again. “I’m Frank, it’s nice to meet you.”

“Fank,” she said chipperly, her smile wide and bright.

Mr. Way let out a soft chuckle. “She’s only about 18 months. She’s yet to master the R.”

Frank nodded. “I’m cool with being called Fank. I’ve been called a lot worse.”

He felt his face become hot when Mr. Way smiled at him again, this time the genuine happiness he must’ve been feeling evident in his eyes. Lola was reaching for him, making little grabby hands as he just stood there like an idiot. Was he just supposed to take her? She whined slightly when her dad didn’t hand her over immediately, but was satisfied when Frank eventually, tentatively, took her into his arms. They studied one another for a brief moment before she laid her little head on his shoulder.

“Fank,” she repeated softly, nuzzling against him. “Play?”

Mr. Way looked at him expectantly. “Guess you’ll have to stay for a little while. Are you okay with that?”

“Yeah,” Frank smiled down at the child in his arms, unaware of the fond look her father was giving him in that moment, unaware of the way the man’s heart was twisting in his chest. “I can stay for a while.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any mistakes are my own; enjoy!

Mikey watched on with scrutiny as Frank carried Lola into the reception area, the chubby child cooing and wiggling uncontrolably. The boy had been his niece’s nanny for roughly a month, and he still wasn’t completely convinced that he was a good fit for the position. A hint of a smile pulled at his lips as Lola grabbed for the silver hoop in Frank’s nose, but the man was fast, ducking out of her way and stretching his head away from the little girl, causing his upper body to contort in an amusing fashion. He had to hand it to Frank; Lola was smitten with him.

He was beginning to think his brother was as well.

Gerard stood in his office, watching the two of them interact as he rested his hip against the doorframe, his eyes practically turning into bright red hearts. Mikey fought the urge to throw something at him, maybe shake him a little and tell him to wake the fuck up; he was swooning over a _kid._

“Hi, Mr. Way!” Frank shouted across the room as he headed with Lola into her playroom. Gerard simply waved, beaming at the pair of them. Frank seemed oblivious to Gerard’s affections, which was probably for the best at this point; having Gerard become involved romantically with his subordinate was the last thing Mikey needed at the moment. When Frank and Lola disappeared, Mikey swiveled in his chair to face his brother.

“Should I call the cleaning crew? You got drool all over the floor again.” Gerard rolled his eyes and shot him the finger before closing the door to his office. Mikey put the phone on silent and followed after his brother.

“If you’ve come in here to berate me about Frank, you can see yourself back out,” his brother drawled, eyes already deep in paperwork as he sat behind his giant, ugly desk. Mikey really had tried to get him to keep things more sleek, more modern, much like the reception area, but Gerard would have none of it. He sat himself down heavily in one of the leather chairs in front of the desk, propping his feet up on the mahogany monstrosity.

“Why did you hire Frank?” Mikey was prepared to interrogate his brother, but Gerard seemed to be having none of it, simply ignoring his question. “He had no experience with children. And sure, Lola loves him obviously, but Lola loves _everyone._ She’s a baby, she’s not exactly a great judge of character.”

“I’ll have you know my daughter is a brilliant judge of character,” Gerard mumbled, never taking his eyes off the papers in front of him. “Frank has done very well with her; she’s sleeping through the night for once, and she loves having him around. He’s made life a lot easier at home.”

“At home?” Mikey repeated, unsure if what he’d just heard was correct. “Wait, he doesn’t _live with you,_ does he?” His brother remained silent, although Mikey could see the flush at the tops of his cheeks. “Gerard, what the fuck?! This guy is living with you?”

“The job was for a live-in nanny, so yes, Frank lives with us. It’s perfectly normal, and considering I work so much, it’s necessary. Plus it’s not like I don’t have the space,” he huffed as he flicked a strand of hair from his eyes. “That penthouse is way too big for just two people.”

It dawned on Mikey then, exactly what his brother was up to.

“Gerard… I love you, okay? And I know this past year has been really difficult for you, so I can’t say I really blame you for doing this, but… you can’t replace Brian, you know that, right?” Mikey swallowed as Gerard’s eyes snapped up to lock on his own. “What you two had was intense, and it wasn’t always good, but it’s over, Gee. Brian’s gone, and trying to replace him with some kid you don’t know-”

“I’m not replacing Brian,” he hissed, seething at the mere mention of his ex-husband’s name. “Fuck, give me a little credit, Mikes, I would never do that to Frank! He doesn’t even know about what happened with Brian, and I didn’t hire him because I have some little fantasy about the perfect family.” He tossed his pen down on the desk and got up from his chair, heading over to the windows to look out over the city.

Tentatively, Mikey went to his side. “I’m sorry, okay? I just don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

Gerard sighed. “I know, Mikey. And you’re right, to a certain degree; I’d be lying if I said I don’t find Frank attractive. Yes, I know he’s young,” he held up a hand tiredly to stop Mikey from protesting, “so don’t lecture me. I don’t even think he’s attracted to men, and I’d never make a move on him anyway. Just…” he was struggling, searching for the right words. Brian had truly broken him emotionally, and he hadn’t even so much as noticed another man until Frank walked into his office a month ago. “Please, let me have a crush. Just a crush, okay? Let me swoon a little when a hot young man fawns over my daughter. Can I at least have that?”

Mikey put a hand on his brother’s shoulder and squeezed. “Sure thing, Gee.” He pulled him in for a quick hug, clapping him on the back before pulling away. “Even I’ve gotta admit that they’re pretty cute together; the punk kid and the pink princess.”

Gerard’s laughter was loud and genuine. “They make quite the pair.” He smiled at his brother before knocking him on the shoulder playfully. “Get back to work. Go forward my calls to my voicemail.”

“Asshole,” Mikey smirked as he walked out the door.

“Dickhead,” Gerard shouted after him.

*

It was Sunday, which meant Frank had the day off. He usually didn’t bother to take his off day, opting to spend it with Lola and Mr. Way at the park or at the penthouse simply spending time together. But on this particular Sunday, Mr. Way and Lola were going over to Mikey’s, and Frank was pretty certain he wasn’t welcomed, despite his boss’s protests.

“I promise he likes you,” Mr. Way sighed, “he’s just really protective of me and Lola is all. You’re more than welcome to join us.”

Frank smiled pleasantly, wanting to pat his boss on the head. They both knew Mikey didn’t want him there. “It’s alright, Mr. Way, go have fun with your brother. Besides, I could use a little time to myself.”

“Oh?” Mr. Way raised an eyebrow. “Sick of us already?”

And there it was, again: the subtle teasing, the gentle flirtations, they were just enough to drive Frank crazy. He wanted to shake him, tell him to either shut the hell up or kiss him, but he didn’t dare make a move; his boss was miles out of his league, a man of importance and wealth who would never go for a blue collar kid from Jersey covered in tattoos. No, Mr. Way would want someone classy, someone with the brains and wits to match his own intellect, and while Frank knew he was pretty, he felt like that was all he had to offer the older man. And he knew that wasn’t enough. _He_ wasn’t enough.

“Yes, I’m absolutely disgusted by your presence,” he sighed dramatically, getting up from the breakfast table swiftly. “Leave me, Mr. Way, I cannot _stand_ the sight of you any longer!” Placing his hand over his brow, he swooned as he leaned against the doorframe, unable to resist smiling as Mr. Way laughed at his antics.

“Fine, you win,” he raised his hands in defeat. “I’ll take Lola and we’ll be on our way. Could you do me a favor, though, Frank?” Frank shrugged before giving a small nod. “Please stop calling me ‘Mr. Way’. It feels like I’m your teacher or something, it’s weird.”

Frank rolled his eyes as he turned to leave the room. “If you insist, _Gerard._ ” They’d had this discussion many times before, but Frank was tired of arguing about it like an old married couple. He felt strange calling his boss by his first name for some reason, needing the formality as a way to distance himself emotionally, afraid he’d become too attached otherwise. His infatuation with his boss was already growing, he didn’t need this to become out of control.

Before they left, Lola came toddling into Frank’s room to tell him goodbye, her large eyes wet with tears when she realized he wouldn’t be joining them. Frank’s heart nearly shattered, but he knew he needed to keep his distance. Gerard and Lola were not his family; this was his job, and he could adore Lola as much as he wanted, but her father needed to remain off-limits.

Half an hour later, he found himself bored beyond reason. For such a large penthouse and such a wealthy man, Gerard really didn’t have much to entertain with. Of course, Gerard’s idea of entertainment was quite different than the average person’s; he preferred brushing up on art history instead of watching the latest football game, or visiting the latest gallery opening instead of going to the movies. Gerard’s life revolved around his daughter and his work, and while that was certainly admirable, Frank couldn’t help but wonder when was the last time the man had relaxed a little, or even gotten laid.

“Why does it always come back to sex with this guy?” Jamia asked on the other end of the line. Frank had her on speaker as he laid on his back on his giant bed, tossing one of Lola’s stuffed toys in the air as he gossiped with his best friend.

“Because I want to fuck him, Jamia,” he stated, practically hearing her eyes roll. “Look, it’s not gonna happen, okay? He’s way outta my league, plus he’s got a kid.”

“So are parents not allowed to have sex or something?” She snorted.

“Well he sure as shit acts like it,” Frank grumbled, continuing to toss the plushie in the air. “I don’t understand how a guy that looks that good isn’t at least trying to date, ya know? I feel like he hides behind his work and Lola. He doesn’t need to be at the office all the time, and he’s got me to look after Lola, so he could go out sometimes, ya know?”

“Frankie, why are you so invested in your boss’s love life?”

“I told you, Jamia, I wanna fuck him,” he sighed, “how many times do we have to go over this?”

“Okay,” she sighed, “but why would you want him to go on dates with other people, then? Seems to me like you should want him to go out with you.”

Frank tossed the toy on the carpet, bringing his hands up to his face and digging the heels of his palms into his eyes with a groan. “I can’t have him, Jamia, I just can’t. And maybe if he was with someone… maybe I wouldn’t feel like I have a chance, ya know?”

There was a pause on the other line, and for a moment Frank wondered if she’d hung up entirely. “So… how do you figure you have a chance?”

“Oh my god, Jamia,” he took the phone off speaker and pressed it to his ear, “I feel like I’m going crazy, okay? Like, he kinda flirts with me? Or maybe he’s just really friendly, I dunno. But I just _feel something,_ like he sees me as something more than just his employee.”

“Oh, Frankie,” Jamia said quietly, pity laced gently in her words. “You’ve got it bad, honey.”

Frank whimpered, rolling over onto his stomach and burying his face in the pillow. “I’m so fucked, Jamia. What am I supposed to do?”

“The way I see it, you’ve got two options,” she was still soft with her words, still handling him with kid gloves, “you either go for it with all you’ve got, or you try seeing other people.” Silence stretched between them; Frank failed to see how dating someone else would help him get Gerard. “Look, if you start dating, maybe you’ll be able to see if it makes him jealous. And if it does…”

“Then it means he wants me back,” Frank grinned, rolling over again and beaming at the ceiling. “I knew there was a reason we’re best friends.”

“Jeez, love you too, Frankie,” Jamia chuckled. “But if this works, I get to be you best woman at the wedding.”

Frank nearly choked on his own spit. “Don’t say that word,” he blurted as he coughed, Jamia’s maniacal laughter ringing through his ears. “At least let me suck his dick first, okay?”

“Okay, okay. But you gotta tell me how big it is.”

“Oh my god, _Jamia!_ ”

“I bet it’s huge-”

“I’m hanging up.” And he did just that, cutting her off entirely. A few seconds later, he received a text.

_seriously, you two would be cute. test the waters a little, see how he reacts to you flirting. bet he likes it ;)_

Frank rolled his eyes, though he couldn’t help but smile. _we’ll see. thanks for the talk. love u._

When Jamia responded with a string of eggplant emojis, Frank decided it was probably time to turn off his phone.

*

Gerard tried Frank’s phone again for what had to have been the fifth time in the last half hour, but the kid had it turned off for whatever reason. He hummed to himself, tossing his phone onto the passenger seat as he drove back home, Lola asleep in her carseat. He looked at her in the rearview mirror, smiling to himself as her mouth hung open in her sleep, clearly exhausted from their visit at Mikey’s. She was at the age where everything and everyone was so exciting, and she always wore herself out on weekends. As they pulled up to their building, Gerard did his best to remove her from the car without waking her.

“Come on, sweet girl,” he said softly as she turned in his arms, nuzzling against his chest as he held her close. “It’s way past your bedtime.”

And truthfully, he hadn’t meant to stay all day at Mikey’s, but outside of the office, he never got to spend much time with his brother. At work, they only had time to talk about potential buyers, new pieces coming onto the market, new gallery openings, that sort of thing; boring stuff. Or he had to sit through Mikey glaring at him whenever Frank was around, acting like he was some creepy old man for having a crush on his nanny. Which, in retrospect, probably was a _little_ weird, but he was hoping he would be able to shake it off once he got used to having the young man around.

The penthouse was quiet except for the steady sound of running water coming from the guest bathroom, alerting him to the fact that Frank was probably taking a shower. Deciding it was best not to dwell on that mental image for too long, he slipped into Lola’s bedroom to put her down for the night. She protested when he changed her diaper and her clothes, and he thanked whatever god there was out there that she would be done with potty training soon. Frank seemed to have much more patience with her when it came to potty training; Gerard just wanted it to be done, wanted her to just _know,_ but Frank was more relaxed about the whole thing. He couldn’t understand why Mikey was so weary of him. He was a perfect fit for Lola and their family.

“Good night, princess,” he kissed his sleeping daughter on one chubby cheek, breathing in her familiar, calming scent. “I love you.” And with that he slipped out of the room, turning on the baby monitor after he closed her door and made his way to the kitchen. It was a bit late, but he’d hardly eaten anything at Mikey’s place… maybe Frank was hungry?

Making his way through the vast apartment, he knew he really shouldn’t be trying to spend so much time with the boy. But what could it hurt to get to know him a little better? It wasn’t like it was a date, just a late dinner was all it was. Easy, simply, completely innocuous.

As he approached the door to the guest bathroom, the water still running, he raised his fist to knock when the softest sound made him stop in his tracks. For a second he thought maybe it was just Lola making noises in her sleep, as she would do sometimes when she was exhausted, but… no, this was different. This was… this was something Gerard wasn’t meant to hear. So naturally, he pressed his ear to the door.

“Oh _god,_ ” Frank’s sweet voice groaned softly, echoing through the bathroom. The sound, the cadence in his voice sent chills down Gerard’s spine, and he shut his eyes instantly as he felt his dick twitch in interest. “ _Fuck,_ yes,” Frank was panting softly, barely audible over the sound of the shower, but it was enough to drive Gerard wild.

“God forgive me,” he whispered, palming at his growing erection through his pants with his free hand, baby monitor still in the other. He felt like a pervert, like some sick old man, getting off to the sounds of his young nanny during his most private moments.

But he couldn’t bring himself to care, and his pervert brain ran wild with thoughts of what Frank must be doing, what he must look like as he got himself off. And what he would give just to see him now, to know the faces he made with his beautiful, ink covered hands exploring his body, wrapped around his hard cock, jerking himself to completion, spilling on his stomach and chest. Gerard groaned low in his throat, praying Frank couldn’t hear him.

“God, god, _fuck yes,_ ” his voice was higher, more desperate than mere moments ago, and Gerard knew Frank must’ve been close. He squeezed his dick through his pants, willing himself to calm down, wanting to just walk away, but he was rooted to the spot. “Yes, _yes, oh my god, ohmygod,_ ” that sweet voice rang out, and Gerard heard his breath hitch once, twice, and then a long, satisfied groan echoed through the bathroom. Gerard nearly sank to his knees from the sheer filth of it, how debauched and fucked-out the boy sounded.

What would it be like to fuck him? If he was that responsive from simple masturbation… what would he be like if Gerard got his hands on him? He shivered at the thought, tearing himself away from the door, trying to adjust his pants as he headed for the kitchen. Taking in a deep breath as he thought about anything to distract himself, from baseball to old women in their underwear, Gerard pulled out various pots and pans without any plan as to what he was going to cook. When his boner finally began to flag, and he gained some semblance of control over his brain and body, he decided spaghetti sounded like the simplest and tastiest option.

Salting the water as he set it to boil, he heard soft footstep behind him.

“I was going to ask if you wanted to join me for a late dinner, but you were in the shower,” he said, putting down the salt and turning to face Frank. “How does spaghetti-”

Yes, it was official: the universe hated Gerard Arthur Way.

Frank stood there, looking sheepish and a little dumbfounded, in nothing but a towel slung low upon his hips. It was like a scene right out of a romantic comedy, really, as they both blushed profusely and Gerard did his best to not focus on his subordinate’s heavily tattooed, damp chest and the swallows tattooed on his glistening hips, why the fuck was he still wet?! He had a towel, why didn’t he use it?

Frank somehow managed to be adorable and irresistable at the same time, scratching his wet hair with an innocent, embarrassed look on his face. Gerard was liking that he was letting it grow out a bit, but that was beside the point right now, the point was all he wanted was some spaghetti and instead he had a wet, half naked Frank in his kitchen. And really, things could’ve been worse.

“Didn’t hear you come home,” the young man mumbled, turning to leave and _fuck,_ his back was tattooed, too. “I’m just gonna-”

“Spaghetti!” Gerard shouted, making Frank jump slightly as he turned back around to face him. “I’m, uh… I’m making some. You should eat it. With me. Eat some spaghetti.” He felt his face heat up as Frank smiled mischievously at him.

“I’d be down for some spaghetti,” he continued to smile, his hazel eyes twinkling. All Gerard could do was nod, turning back to the stove to stare at the boiling water like it was the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen in his life. God, why was he so fucking awkward?

Frank sauntered from the kitchen and back to his room, smiling to himself. Mission accomplished.

*

Gerard made sure to put space between himself and Frank ever since the shower incident. It had been a couple of weeks, but he still felt his face warm with embarrassment whenever he so much as looked at the boy, unable to move past what had happened. He felt like he had taken advantage of him, and seeing him practically naked just made everything worse; he had to stop himself from jerking off to the mental image nearly every night.

He sighed as he tossed his empty carton of lo mein in the trash, frustrated with himself that he’d spent yet another night at the office. He’d sworn to himself and to Mikey that he’d try and go home earlier, spend more time with Lola, but something was holding him back, and it wasn’t just Frank.

The phone on his desk rang loudly, startling him out of his reverie. He answered after a few rings, debating whether or not to just let it go to voicemail. It likely wasn’t important - Frank always called his cell if anything was going on with Lola. But curiosity killed the cat.

“This is Gerard,” he stated, stifling a yawn.

“Hi, stranger.”

Pinching between his eyes, he sighed heavily. “What do you want, Brian?”

Brian had been making his presence known recently, calling Gerard at all hours of the night, texting him flirtatiously, being a general nuisance. Gerard knew this game, knew it well, and he wasn’t about to let his ex-husband weasel his way back into his life.

“To see you,” he replied softly, his voice sweet and innocent, “and our baby girl.”

“She’s _not_ your child, Brian, we’ve been over this innumerable times. I’m hanging up.”

“Gee, come on,” his ex whined, and Gerard could almost see the pout on the other man’s face. “I miss you, I miss Lola. I want our family back, and I know you do, too.”

And there it was; the manipulation, the lies, Brian doing his best to make Gerard feel bad, just like old times. He felt himself almost fall for it, because it was partially true. He wanted to give Lola a family, two parents who loved her and the white picket fence, but deep in his heart he knew that would never be with Brian. It broke his heart each time he had to face that fact, but he couldn’t put himself or Lola through the pain of having Brian walk away again.

“Brian,” he sighed, “our marriage was rocky at best, and raising Lola in a broken home is not something I intend to do.”

“Broken home? You can’t be serious, Gee! Look,” Brian paused, as if collecting his thoughts, the silence between them stretching for what felt like an eternity. Gerard was about to hang up when he spoke again. “I know I fucked up. I… I left you when you needed me most, and there’s no excuse for that. Ever. I was the worst husband I could’ve been, I wasn’t a father to Lola, and I failed the both of you.” Gerard heard him sniffle, and he fought the urge to roll his eyes. “I don’t deserve a second chance, but-”

“You’re right, you don’t deserve a second chance,” Gerard had enough at this point, annoyed that Brian was dragging up the past all of a sudden. “And you’re not getting one. Goodbye, Brian.”

“Gerard, wait, just… just one more thing.”

“What?! What could you possibly want, what more could you squeeze out of me? I have nothing left to give you!” He was yelling now, his heart racing, angry tears stinging his eyes.

Brian was quiet for a moment, before responding softly. “Is there someone else?”

And that was the one question Gerard had no idea how to answer. Because in some weird way, there _was_ someone else. There was a sweet, intelligent, beautiful young man, waiting for him at home; a man who loved his daughter, who brought her joy and happiness; a man who Gerard was falling for swiftly, too swiftly. God, he was terrified, so terrified that he was avoiding the boy, but he knew that couldn’t last. He couldn’t resist Frank forever.

“I… Brian, I don’t know. I won’t answer that, as it’s none of your business. For the last time, goodbye.” And at that he really did hang up, rubbing the heels of his palms into his eyes, fighting off the tears that were threatening to spill down his cheeks. He swore to himself when he finalized their divorce papers and Brian signed away his parental rights that he would never let the man manipulate him again, yet here he was, a blubbering mess in his office.

As he dried his eyes and packed his things, he heard the familiar chime of a text coming through on his cell. He opened it without thinking, slinging his satchel over his shoulder before turning off the lights and locking the door. Looking down at his phone, his heart began to beat double-time, mood instantly lifted, a smile blooming across his cheeks.

Frank’s handsome face smiled back at him from the screen resting in his palm; he’d taken a selfie with Lola. She was in her favorite pink pajamas, her pink blanket in her hands as she curled up on Frank’s chest while he lounged on the couch. She was fast asleep, her free thumb stuck firmly between her lips, as Frank beamed at the camera.

_she fell asleep waiting for you,_ his message read, _hope you don’t mind._

All thoughts of his ex vanished as he stared at the picture, smiling as he headed out through his office, down the elevator, and out to the lobby. He was startled from his thoughts when the pretty blonde receptionist wished him a good night.

“Good day at the office, Mr. Way?”

He shrugged, putting the phone back in his pocket after saving the picture to his camera roll.

“Not particularly.” He smiled at her, and she returned it, although she did seem a bit baffled by his good mood. “Just happy to be heading home.”

*

The house was silent when Gerard finally arrived home. He wanted to see his girl, and to see Frank, but it was well past 11 at that point. His heart sank a bit knowing he’d missed them, and he vowed to see them off in the morning before he would head back to the office. God, _the office._ The last thing he wanted to think about at that moment.

Tugging off his coat, he couldn’t be bothered to hang it in the closet, so he simply draped it over one of the dining room chairs, not caring if it wound up on the floor. His tailor would’ve been horrified if he knew Gerard was slinging around such an expensive piece of clothing. All he wanted was a shower and his bed, and maybe a hug if he was being completely honest. Unfortunately that would have to wait until Lola woke up.

After a long, warm shower, he found himself sitting on the edge of his bed, too tired to move while his mind raced at lightning speed. Brian was the last person that should’ve been on his mind, but his call had shaken him. What if Brian had been the one? What if he had walked away from the only man who would ever love him? Would their split really be for the best if he was lonely for the rest of his life?

A soft knock brought him from his thoughts, and he looked up to see Frank poking his head through the crack in the door. His smile faded when his eyes landed on Gerard, expression turning concerned. Quietly, he entered the room and shut the door behind him.

“Is everything alright?” He stood with his back pressed against the door, as if he was afraid to take a step closer.

Gerard shook his head. “Not really, but things will be fine.” He smiled as best he could at the young man, taking in his pretty eyes. “Why are you up so late, Frank?”

“I heard you come in,” he shrugged, stepping forward until he reached the bed, “and I just wanted to see if you were alright. I know you’ve been meaning to come home earlier,” he sat on the bed then, and Gerard felt his pulse quicken, “but you’ve not been around much. I know it’s none of my business, but did something happen?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Gerard was flat-out lying at this point, doing everything he could to avoid this uncomfortable conversation.

“You’ve just seemed really distant lately. That’s all.” Frank pushed some of his hair behind his ear; he’d been letting it grow out, had stopped bleaching the sides. It suited him, and Gerard was finding him even harder to resist. “I care about you. You’ve been real good to me, and taking care of Lola has been amazing,” he chuckled at that, as though he couldn’t believe that he had the capacity to love and care for a child. “But you’re unhappy, I can tell. If it’s something I’ve done, Gerard… I’ll leave, if you need me to.”

This wasn’t some game for Frank right now; sure, he wanted his boss, wanted him more than anything, but he wasn’t heartless. He could tell the man was hurting, and ever since the night he’d dared to put on a little show for Gerard, the man had been distant. Perhaps he’d crossed a line, and if he’d pushed his luck too much, he didn’t want to stick around and cause further damage. But Gerard turned to him suddenly, snatching his hand and squeezing it tightly.

“Absolutely not,” he said breathlessly, looking deeply into Frank’s eyes. “Frank, you’ve been such a gift to my daughter, and to myself. I could never send you away.” He breathed in deeply then, steadying himself as he felt the need to open up to the boy. “Can I tell you something, Frank?”

He nodded earnestly. “Anything, sir.”

“First of all, don’t call me sir,” he smiled, and Frank blushed at the admonishment. Gerard noticed that he still hadn’t let go of the boy’s hand, but instead loosened his grip slightly, their fingers lacing together in a gentle hold. “My ex-husband called me today.” He noted the way Frank’s eyebrows were raised, clearly surprised at the admission. “Yeah, I was married once. Not too long ago, actually. We finalized the divorce about a year ago.”

“So… Lola?”

Gerard nodded. “We adopted her together.”

Frowning deeply, Frank shifted closer to Gerard, eyes studying their joined hands. “Why doesn’t he see her, then? She’s amazing, who wouldn’t want to spend time with her?”

“It’s a very long story, Frank, but my ex essentially decided he wasn’t ready for marriage or a baby. So he left us.” Gerard had the urge to reach out and touch Frank, the look of shock on his face was so innocent and sincere. _Did this young man actually care for him?_ “He signed away his parental rights when we divorced, and I had his name removed from her birth certificate.”

“ _Fuck,_ ” Frank exhaled, looking as though he’d been smacked across the cheek. “Gerard, I’m so sorry.”

Waving his free hand nonchalantly, Gerard returned to his story. “Brian likes to call on occasion; that’s my ex’s name, by the way. He gets bored, I think, likes to call me up and claim that he misses me and Lola.” He bit his lip, noticing the way Frank was gently stroking his thumb, soothing him. “He was never there for her, ya know? Barely held her, never changed a diaper, never fed her. She didn’t even know him, she’d scream and cry on the rare occasion he would attempt to be loving. He claimed Lola must’ve hated him, but he was a virtual stranger. Babies need consistency, and Brian was anything but consistent.” He stood then, unable to withstand Frank’s affections while he thought about his ex. He began to pace, as he would so often do when he was upset.

“Was that why he left?” Frank was soft, treading water, curious without trying to pry. Gerard didn’t want to answer, but he felt he had no choice.

“No,” he stopped his pacing, looking back at Frank over his shoulder. “He left because he found someone else.” Frank opened his mouth to say something, but Gerard’s anger got the better of him and he cut Frank off. “You wanna know the funny thing? He asked me tonight if I was seeing someone. Like it’s any of his fucking business,” he grumbled, resuming his pacing.

If his nerves hadn’t been on edge, if every sense hadn’t been heightened from his anger, Gerard likely wouldn’t have heard Frank speak.

“Are you?”

He turned swiftly to look at Frank, still sitting on his overly large bed. The boy looked like he’d been scolded, his head down, eyes in his lap as he wrung his hands nervously. Gerard’s stomach gave a nervous swoop, wanting nothing more than to drop in front of Frank and kiss him until his beautiful smile returned.

“No,” swallowing thickly, he met Frank’s eyes when he looked up. “I’m not seeing anyone. Not yet.”

“But there’s… there’s someone?” Frank was practically shaking, his heart racing as he looked up at his boss.

Gerard sat back down on the bed, facing Frank again. He placed his hand on the boy’s cheek, breath hitching in his chest as he watched Frank’s eyes flutter close at the light contact. How had he fallen so fast?

“Yes, Frank,” he whispered, running a thumb against the soft swell of his cheek. “There’s someone.”

Eyes snapping open, Frank couldn’t resist any longer. He surged forward, climbing up into Gerard’s lap and closing the gap between their lips. Shocked at first, Gerard hesitated for the briefest of moments before melting into the kiss, his hands wrapping around Frank’s middle and coming to rest on his back. Urging Frank forward, he helped him settle in his lap, straddling his thighs with ease as their kiss deepened. Frank brought his arms around Gerard’s neck, carding his fingers through those wild, dark locks, tugging gently as his tongue prodded at the seam of Gerard’s lips, begging for entrance. And Gerard was all too happy to oblige.

“Wait,” Gerard pulled back after a moment, his breath short and hands roaming over Frank’s sides, “Frank, wait a just a second.”

“ _Why?_ ” His head fell forward, gently pressing against Gerard’s. Closing his eyes, he took in Gerard’s smell. “Don’t turn away from me now. Please.”

“This is what you want?” Frank nodded with enthusiasm as he looked at Gerard. “Frank, you’ve got to be sure, because there’s no going back from this. I don’t do casual hookups, so if that’s what you’re looking for, now’s your chance to say something.”

Frank responded with a kiss, deep and needy, pressing his whole body against the man between his knees. “Guess it’s a good thing I don’t do casual either,” he smiled, diving back in as Gerard pulled him back down for another bruising kiss.

They were both exactly where they wanted to be: finally wrapped in each other’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys are liking this. Chapter three should be up soon, as I've already started on it. Thoughts and kudos are always appreciated <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to write! Life and a full time job got in the way but it’s finally here. Any mistakes are my own, and please don’t hate me.

The next morning, Frank awoke to find himself in his boss’ bed. Granted, his boss was holding him tightly to his chest, a protective arm slung around his waist. Frank couldn’t help but grin to himself as he thought about the night before; nothing scandalous had occured, only the world’s most amazing make out session. Afterwards Gerard opened up to him even further, told him his hopes and dreams for his family, his fears about being a single parent, and how he worried he was losing time with Lola by spending too much time at the office.

Doing his best to turn around without waking Gerard, he noticed the clock read 7:13. Lola would be awake at any moment, though she remained silent over her baby monitor. Without a second thought, Frank stretched and grabbed the alarm clock, promptly shutting off the alarm. Gerard deserved a day off, and Lola deserved some extra time with her dad; and Frank? Well, Frank deserved some time with Lola’s dad as well.

Nuzzling back against Gerard, Frank placed a trail of kisses from his collar bone, up his neck, and stopping just behind the lobe of his ear, nibbling softly on the sensitive skin. Much to Frank’s delight, the older man began to stir with an appreciative whimper, his hips writhing in his sleep. Like the little shit that he was, Frank continued to kiss and nip along the smooth column of Gerard’s neck, his free hand venturing down to the hem of his shirt, warm fingers dancing and tickling the smooth expanse of Gerard’s abdomen.

“Mmph,” Gerard whimpered, wriggling in bed, pulling Frank closer. Frank grinned as he continued to tickle his stomach. “Frankie, come on,” he whined, “why you gotta wake me up so early?”

“Because we’re alone, in your bed,” Frank paused for effect, placing a kiss to Gerard’s neck. “Lola’s asleep. Work can wait. And I’d really like to pick up where we left off last night.”

Gerard was fully awake at that point, the mere mention of getting to fool around with Frank enough to snap him out of his drowsiness. Looking down at the beautiful young man at his side, he couldn’t help but smile. Then he pulled him in for a deep, longing kiss, wrapping a protective arm around Frank’s small waist. His skin was warm and soft, his myriad of tattoos mesmerizing Gerard as his fingers traced over them, digging into his skin as he pulled the boy closer.

“You know this is terribly unprofessional of me, right?” Gerard smirked at him between kissing, rolling them over so he was on top of his new lover. He trailed kisses down Frank’s neck, nipping at the small scorpion adorning his skin.

“I think we’re way past unprofessional,” bucking his hips, Frank was panting in Gerard’s ear, desperate already for friction and more contact. But Gerard was older than Frank, meaning he was also more patient; he knew how to draw things out, make his partner beg for it, and in the end he would always leave them more than satisfied. He was determined to take his time with Frank and get to know his body, figure out what made him tick and exploit those weaknesses.

“Patience,” he whispered as he gently began to rock his hips down to meet Frank’s, causing the younger man to whimper. “Like you said, we’ve got time, baby. Got the morning all to ourselves,” his hips found the right angle, and their growing erections slid against one another through the thin fabric of their boxers. Dipping down again to mouth along Frank’s jaw, he relished in the beautiful sounds he was already drawing from Frank. “I’m gonna make you feel so good, Frankie, I swear.”

“I know,” Frank panted, clutching tightly to Gerard’s back, his own hips stuttering upwards to meet Gerard’s languid thrusts, “I just… god, it’s been so long, Gerard. I just need you.”

Smiling to himself, Gerard began to make his way down Frank’s body, thankful that he’d foregone a shirt the night before as he sucked a pretty pink nipple between his lips. His free hand glided across Frank’s chest and pinched his other nipple forcefully, and the boy groaned in pleasure, his back arching off the mattress beautifully. Gerard slid his hand right underneath that arch, holding Frank as close as he could while he practically worshipped the young man beneath him with his lips, tongue, and teeth.

“Oh _god_ ,” Frank moaned, writhing against Gerard, a hand gripping his own hair, tugging harshly while Gerard left hickies along his skin. “Please, Gerard, _please._ ” “Mmm, please what?”

“I need more, you asshole,” he gasped when Gerard’s hand ghosted over his hard dick through the fabric of his boxers. “ _Please touch me,_ for the love of god, I gotta feel you Gee, need you to touch me, need you _in me_ -”

“Shh, shh, slow down, baby, everything’s alright,” Gerard cooed as he continued to palm Frank’s erection, which was growing at an impressive rate. The young man looked down at him, eyes glassy as he whimpered in frustration. “I’m gonna blow you now, okay?”

“Yes,” Frank croaked, his hand still fisted in his own hair, “god, yes, want your mouth on me so bad.”

Gerard couldn’t help but chuckle at Frank’s nearly incoherent babbling as he sat up to help him remove his boxers. “No cumming though, okay?” He had to fight off a smile at the absolutely crestfallen look Frank gave him. “It’ll happen, Frankie, just relax. You gotta trust me here, okay?” With a rather dramatic pout, Frank nodded in agreement as he shimmied out of his boxers. “Good boy.”

Without another word, Gerard took Frank into his mouth, sucking on the head gently as the young man beneath him gasped in pleasure. He made sure to take his time, letting his jaw grow accustomed to the feeling of giving a blow job again; after all, it _had_ been a while. As his hand fisted the base of Frank’s cock, he worked the muscles in his throat while simultaneously rubbing his tongue along the underside of the shaft. Judging by the sounds Frank was making, he hadn’t lost his touch.

“Gerard,” the boy panted, his hands fisted in the older man’s hair, “fuck, that feels so _good._ ”

He gave an appreciative hum around Frank’s cock, making him shiver, loving how vocal he was. There was something raw and desperate in Frank’s eyes then as Gerard looked up at him, hollowing out his cheeks as he sucked slowly up the length of his dick. Those same eyes, a gorgeous, playful hazel, nearly rolled back into his head as Gerard pressed his tongue along the slit, stroking the shaft tightly. Frank squirmed and tried to thrust up into the wet heat of his lover’s mouth, but Gerard’s free hand was splayed across his belly, keeping his hips firmly planted to the bed.

“More,” Frank moaned, tugging hard at the black strands of hair still in his hands, “c’mon Gee, _please,_ you’re killin’ me here!”

Gerard slowly pulled his lips up and off the cock in his hand, an obscene _pop_ resonating through the room. “Getting desperate already?” He couldn’t help but tease Frank, loving how he pouted when he didn’t immediately get his way. “Demanding little thing.”

“Can’t help that you’re amazing at sucking cock,” Frank laughed, trying to shimmy his hips closer to Gerard. “Come on, please? You’re driving me crazy, Gee.” He was legitimately whining by this point, his bottom lip stuck out in the perfect pout. Gerard could only smile as he leaned across the bed for his nightstand, fishing around for the bottle of lube.

He could practically feel Frank’s body buzzing beneath him, waves of desire rolling off his skin as his breathing grew faster. Letting out a soft ‘ah-ha’ when he finally found the small plastic bottle, he settled between Frank’s legs again and pushed them apart a bit further. He gently nipped along the inside of Frank’s thighs, feeling him tremble in anticipation, eyes never leaving Gerard. Taking pity on the poor boy, he flipped up the cap of the bottle and spread a bit of lubricant over his index and middle fingers.

“Not too loud, now,” he said softly, the pad of his index finger circling and teasing Frank’s hole. He smiled to himself as he watched Frank’s eyes roll back in his head. “We don’t want to wake Lola.”

Frank could only nod in agreement; he likely would’ve agreed to murder at that point, Gerard was making him feel _that good._ He breathed out slowly as he felt Gerard’s smooth finger breach him, sliding in with relative ease thanks to the lube. It felt good, but it wasn’t nearly enough, and Frank made his displeasure known with a small whine and a small rolling of his hips, which only made Gerard chuckle and shake his head.

“So impatient,” he smiled, pulling his index finger back before his middle finger joined, carefully pushing into Frank’s tight entrance. Now _that_ was so much better; the gentle sting, being able to really feel Gerard inside him. He practically sighed in pleasure.

“Right there,” he cooed, his eyes closed as he arched his back. Gerard’s slick fingers gently crooked inside of him before sliding out to the tips, and pushing back in slowly. It was sweet torture, Frank desperately needed more friction, but there was something so satisfying and delightful about Gerard taking his time that Frank no longer had it in himself to protest.

He felt Gerard’s free hand, slick with lube, grab hold of his still firm erection and give a forceful stroke from base to tip. His thumb swirled around the head, gathering the precum at his slit to add to the smooth sensation. Frank’s entire body was alight with arousal, the feeling of being filled while having Gerard jerk him off was enough to send him over the edge, though he did his best to resist. His mouth was running a mile a minute, curses and filth spilling from his lips beyond his control.

“My, my,” Gerard smirked as he mouthed at the head of Frank’s cock, letting the tip brush across his open, wet lips, “you’ve got quite the mouth on you, Frankie.”

“Damn fuckin’ right,” he gasped as Gerard’s fingers ghosted against his prostate, making his hips buck. “Know how to use it, too.”

Gerard’s grin was wicked and full of mischief as his tongue darted out to taste Frank’s precum, fingers teasing his prostate. “I’ll be the judge of that.” Taking the head of Frank’s cock into his mouth, he sucked the crown between his lips as Frank cried out. Then just as suddenly, he popped off with a satisfied sigh, licking his lips. “Eventually, of course. I’m not done having fun with you, though.”

Slipping his fingers out slowly, Gerard then pulled Frank up so they could switch places, smirking at the confused look on Frank’s face. Hooking his thumbs in his boxers and pulling them down his thighs, he made sure to put on a bit of a show for Frank, teasing him as he slowly revealed his completely nude form. The boy watched him hungrily, a free hand wandering to his cock, stroking almost absentmindedly as he watched Gerard.

“Come here, Frank,” he nearly whispered as he poured a generous amount of lube into his palm. His breath hitched as he spread it over his somehow still hardening dick, hips twitching at the sensation. “This way, baby. Straddle me, just like that.”

Frank complied willingly, getting with the program rather swiftly. He took hold of Gerard’s cock and guided it to his entrance. Draping himself over Gerard’s chest, free hand pressed next to Gerard’s head on the pillow, he pushed his hips back to meet the cock in his hand, feeling the tight ring of his opening give way. “ _Fuck,_ ” he whispered as the head of Gerard’s cock was now fully seated inside him. He clearly saw that Gerard was bigger than average, but feeling it inside of him was an entirely different experience. Sinking back further, a filthy groan escaped his lips as he was slowly, achingly filled, the stretch and the burn beyond amazing. “God, you’re fucking huge, Gee.” Soon he felt his ass come to rest against Gerard’s hips and pushed himself up, relishing in the feeling of having a cock in his ass.

He faintly heard Gerard chuckle, but he was too distracted to pay much attention. “Whenever you’re ready, Frankie. Don’t wanna hurt you.” Frank nodded appreciatively, because as much as he wanted Gerard to pound his ass into next week, he also knew that could really hurt.

So he took his time, gently and slowly rolling his hips, getting used to the intrusion. He began to grind down on Gerard’s cock, eyes slipping shut at the satisfying sensation of being _filled._ He smiled proudly when he heard the man beneath him groan, hands squeezing Frank’s hips and urging him on. Frank keened as the angle and the roll of his hips made Gerard’s cock hit his prostate, stars shooting behind his eyelids.

“Gee,” he moaned, repeating the motion over and over again. “ _Holy shit,_ that feels incredible.”

“Baby, you have no idea,” Gerard responded breathlessly, beginning to pump his hips up to meet Frank.

The younger man dug his nails into Gerard’s chest as he felt his impending orgasm building with each thrust. Reaching down, he squeezed his dick hard, just on the edge of painful in order to ward off his climax; he knew Gerard wanted him to wait, and he found that he wanted to ride this out for as long as possible. At that point, they were only just getting started, but a sharp thrust from Gerard had Frank nearly shouting, biting down on his fist so he wouldn’t wake Lola.

“Jesus _fucking Christ, fuckfuckfuck,_ ” he whispered, his hips stilling as Gerard fucked up into him, “Gerard please, please don’t stop!”

In one swift movement he pushed Frank onto his back, their bodies still connected, Frank letting out a whine as the sudden change in angle hit his prostate again. Gerard bent down and kissed him then, his lips demanding and forceful while he hooked his hand beneath Frank’s knee and brought it up around his waist. Still locked in their kiss, Gerard picked up his pace again, making sure to swallow Frank’s moans; he was a noisy little thing.

Breaking their kiss as his hips pistoned into Frank’s, his eyes were squeezed shut and he willed his body to hold on longer, he wanted, _needed_ to take his time and draw this out, but Frank was just too much. He was too tempting, he drove Gerard absolutely crazy, and the way his mouth was hanging open, eyes trained on Gerard as he whispered his name like a devotion… He couldn’t hold out.

“Frankie, I’m gonna…” he groaned, biting into the crook of Frank’s neck as he felt his balls seize up, hips snapping erratically as his climax hit him.

“That’s it, baby,” Frank cooed beneath him, hands grabbing his ass and pulling him forward with each sporadic thrust, “cum inside me, Gee. Wanna feel you so badly.”

He groaned low and filthy as he spilled deep inside of Frank, shaking with the unexpected power of his orgasm. Taking a moment to gather his thoughts and come back down to earth, he noticed that Frank was rather frantically trying to stroke himself to completion. Gerard batted his hand away and slowly slipped out, sliding down Frank’s body again.

“Let me,” he said softly, and Frank nodded with wide eyes as Gerard took him into his mouth once again.

Frank knew Gerard was tired from his own orgasm, but he didn’t let it show. He swallowed Frank down in one smooth motion, causing him to cry out as the wet warmth of Gerard’s mouth enveloped him. Frank’s hands tugged at his own hair frantically when Gerard hollowed out his cheeks, holding Frank’s cock at the base while he bobbed his head in earnest. Frank writhed beneath him, his body fucked out and oversensitive, and when he felt Gerard’s tongue swirl around the head, he couldn’t hold on any longer. His body shuddered as he came down Gerard’s throat, whispering his name, his throat too raw and sore from his previous cries.

He opened his eyes to find that Gerard was watching him, studying him closely, almost as if he wanted to commit the moment to memory. Frank shivered as Gerard continued to swallow around him, milking his cock, his eyes never leaving Frank’s. Eventually he pulled off when Frank began to whine about being oversensitive, smiling to himself; it was good to know he hadn’t lost his touch.

“Jesus Christ,” Frank sighed as Gerard laid beside him, placing a gentle kiss to his tattooed chest.

“I prefer ‘Gerard’, actually,” he grinned, ducking as Frank swatted at him lazily.

“I can’t even really be mad at that,” Frank was talking to the ceiling now, patting at Gerard’s hair as he continued to kiss along his chest. “If the sex is always that good, I think I can put up with a few dad jokes.”

“Well, I _am_ a dad, after all,” he shrugged before he leaned forward to place a chaste kiss to Frank’s lips. Frank pulled him in, deepening the kiss as their nude bodies pressed together again, slick with sweat.

“Dada!” Lola’s sweet little voice rang out over the monitor, snapping both men back to reality.

Frank scrambled up out of the bed, his limbs flailing comically as he stumbled for the door, still completely naked. He froze when he reached the door, feeling the unmistakable and uncomfortable sensation of Gerard’s cum navigating down the back of his thighs. Gerard was still on the bed, howling with laughter as he watched Frank’s face go red with embarrassment.

“Well,” Gerard sighed as he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, “it’s good to know that you still want to take care of my daughter. But perhaps you should shower first. And put some clothes on.” Frank nodded silently, heading for the bathroom as he ignored Gerard’s giggles.

“Good idea,” he grumbled, shuffling into the ensuite and grabbing a bath towel. Gerard poked his head in the door, monitor in hand as he watched Frank fiddle with the faucet.

“Hey.” Frank looked over his shoulder at the older man and was greeted with a warm smile. “I, uh…” Gerard scratched at his neck awkwardly, clearly at a loss for what to say.

Frank could only grin. “Yeah. Me too.” He finally got the water to a nice, scalding temperature when he saw out of the corner of his eye that Gerard was still watching him. “Listen dude, I may be young but my refractory period isn’t _that_ good, plus your kid kinda needs to eat.”

Gerard rolled his eyes. “Okay, okay.” He gave Frank another longing look as he began to close the door. “But… there’ll be a next time, right?”

Stepping into the walk-in shower, sliding the glass door closed, Frank smiled to himself. This man would be the end of him. “Baby, you _know_ there’ll be a next time. Now go get Lola before she starts screaming. And let me wash my ass.”

Shutting the door with a smile, Gerard leaned back against it, butterflies swirling in his stomach. He hadn’t had sex that incredible in years, maybe ever. But it wasn’t just the sex that had him feeling this way; it was Frank. The smart, funny, kind, beautiful young man that had come bursting into his life and turned his world upside down, had him feeling like a giddy schoolgirl. He knew he should be scared, because he remembered this feeling, he remembered what it felt like to fall, but he couldn’t find it in him to care.

Because maybe, hopefully… Frank was falling, too.

*

Gerard yawned dramatically as he rode the elevator up to his office. Missing work the day before had been much needed, there was no doubt in his mind of that, but getting the motivation to get back to the office was proving difficult. He smiled to himself as he reflected on the previous day; taking Lola to the Children’s Museum of Manhattan had proven to be quite the adventure, and he’d found himself wishing they could spend more days together, just him, Lola, and Frank. Of course, getting to spend the morning with Frank had been a different adventure entirely, one that made him feel hot all over just thinking about.

He found his brother leaning against the desk in the middle of the reception area, arms folded across his chest, glaring at him as he exited the elevator. Stopping in his tracks, they exchanged a pointed look before Gerard rolled his eyes and made his way to the door of his office. To his annoyance, Mikey followed.

“You’re an idiot,” Mikey stated plainly, arms still crossed as Gerard unpacked his work from his satchel.

“Good morning to you as well, brother. What have I don’t to displease you now?”

“Oh, I don’t know, Gerard. Maybe the fact that you’re sleeping with your nanny?” Gerard’s eyes snapped up to look at his brother, questioning how he could possibly know what happened the previous morning. “I’m not stupid, Gee. You never miss work, _ever,_ and all of a sudden you just call in sick?”

“Maybe I was sick, Mikey!”

“You came to work with the flu!” Now they were shouting at each other, Mikey being more vocal than he’d been in years. “What were you thinking? Were you even thinking at all?”

Gerard took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. “He makes me happy, Mikes. He cares about me, and my daughter, and I care about him, too.”

He could tell that Mikey was softening, his shoulders beginning to relax. “This could be such a mess, Gee. He’s your subordinate, okay? Nevermind the age difference, don’t get me started on that… Just be careful, please?”

“Why does this bother you so much? I’m happy, Mikey, I haven’t been this happy since Brian and I first met.”

“Exactly,” Mikey sat on the edge of the desk, eyes never leaving his brother’s face. “Brian fucked you over, and I had to help pick up the pieces.” Gerard looked away then, suddenly ashamed, never having realized the toll his divorce had taken on those around him as well. Mikey sighed. “Look, I like Frank. Don’t look at me like that, you know I do. I just want you and Lola to be alright.”

Pulling him in for a tight hug, Gerard’s anger melted away.

“I’ve got a good feeling about him, Mikes. You trust me, don’t you?” He felt his brother nod against his shoulder. “Frank’s good. He’s sweet, and smart, and he’s good for Lola _and_ me.”

Pulling back, Mikey sighed in reluctant defeat. “Alright. But if he hurts either of you,” he headed for the door, giving Gerard a stern look. “He gets no mercy.”

Gerard spluttered out a laugh, clutching his chest. “No mercy? Mikes, you’re afraid of squirrels.”

“NO. MERCY.”

*

Things had been quiet in the Way household after that. Frank and Gerard continued to separate their personal life from their professional arrangement, and things were running smoothly. No one except Mikey seemed to notice that anything was different, and Frank was more than okay with that. He and Gerard were only in the formative stages of their relationship, but things were moving fast, to say the least; although it would’ve been difficult for things to remain casual, seeing as how they lived together.

Gerard had arranged for a babysitter that night so he could take Frank out to dinner. The word ‘date’ went unspoken, but they’d been on a few by this point, so Frank supposed putting a title on it didn’t really matter. Of course Gerard had chosen another extravagant restaurant to go to, but at least this one didn’t require him to wear a tuxedo like the last one. It had been a little awkward, to say the least, when Frank had arrived in slacks and a dress shirt. Of course the next day Gerard had taken him shopping for formal wear, insisting on paying.

“Can’t we just do pizza one day?” Frank questioned as he looked over the menu filled with elegant French dishes he couldn’t pronounce and conspicuously absent prices. Gerard glanced at him over the top of his own menu, and Frank saw the crestfallen look on his handsome features. “Not that there’s anything wrong with this! I’m sure this is amazing, it’s just…” He looked around the restaurant and felt his insides squirm.

“You feel out of place.” Gerard returned to his menu, though his frown was still clear.

“A little, if I’m being honest,” Frank sighed. “Plus, I don’t even know what half of this stuff is. And I feel silly asking for you to order for me.”

Gerard shrugged, putting down his menu and leaning towards Frank to help him out. “I just wanna spoil you, that’s all.”

Frank thanked him then, but felt the need to protest; he didn’t _want_ to be spoiled. Gerard didn’t need to impress him with fancy dinners and expensive clothing, he’d already impressed him with who he was as a person. But he decided not to bring it up and risk ruining their evening, as they so rarely got to spend time alone outside of the bedroom.

They ate in companionable silence, the food amazing, just as Frank had suspected. The waiter kept refilling his champagne flute, so he had no idea how much he’d had to drink, but he knew he was close to tipsy. He giggled whenever Gerard would say something, enamored with the way one side of his mouth wouldn’t quite move - how had he never noticed that before? He slipped his foot out of his dress shoe and began to slide it up Gerard’s leg.

“Frank!” Gerard hissed at him, jumping as Frank’s foot reached his thigh. “We’re in public, stop playing footsie.”

Frank pouted into his champagne flute. “Spoiled sport,” he grumbled, before a wicked grin spread across his face. “Just thinkin’ about how I wanna get in those pants of yours.” He giggled as the tops of Gerard’s cheeks flushed pink.

“At least let me get the check,” he chuckled softly, motioning for the waiter, who hurried over. “I think my partner and I are finished for the evening. If we could have the check, please?”

_Partner._

Everything else faded into the background, but that one word rang out in Frank’s head on a loop. Were they really at that point yet? Surely not. But his heart betrayed him as he felt it swoop in his chest as Gerard turned to smile at him, extending his hand, signalling they were free to go. He took the older man’s hand shakily, wondering what this all meant. They hadn’t even referred to each other as boyfriends, let alone partners. And maybe Frank was overthinking this, maybe it was all the stupid champagne he’d been drinking, so he decided he’d ask about it in the morning when he was sober instead of potentially fucking things up because Gerard had said one simple word.

Regardless of what thoughts were raging in his head, alcohol always made him horny as _fuck._ His hands were all over Gerard as he drove them home, pulling his stuffy button-up shirt out from his expensive, tailored slacks and shoving his fingers up inside. Gerard gasped as Frank’s warm fingers danced up the skin of his torso, feeling the younger bite into his neck as he rolled his nipple between two fingers.

“Frankie, you gotta settle down for a second,” he huffed, keeping his eyes intently on the road. “I gotta get us home in one piece, okay?”

“Mmm, but you look so _good,_ ” Frank drawled in his ear, going back to kissing and sucking on his neck. He was white-knuckling the steering wheel as Frank’s hand palmed his very interested cock. “Gonna blow you when we get home.”

Gerard let out a shaking breath as they sped through Manhattan to the Upper East Side. “Holding you to that, baby.” He turned and smirked at Frank, who sat back in his seat, licking at his bottom lip. Nobody got to Gerard quite like Frank did, got into his head and his heart, and while he knew they had their differences, differences they would have to learn to conquer, Gerard was more than excited to see where this would take them.

They practically burst through the front door of the penthouse, entangled in a heated kiss as Frank made easy work of Gerard’s tie and the first buttons of his shirt. Giggling like a couple of high schoolers, Frank unbuttoned his own shirt slowly, pulling it up from beneath his pants, giving Gerard a perfect view of the tattoos that danced across his skin. Just as he was about to step forward and finish off the rest of Frank’s pesky clothing, they heard a sigh from behind them.

“Lola’s asleep, in case you were wondering,” Elena smirked, loving the way her grandson blushed when she caught him with his new boyfriend. His companion let out a hearty laugh at Gerard’s expense, and she raised a brow when she caught sight of the myriad of tattoos on his chest. “Be a doll and keep quiet, alright? She only just went down.”

“Yes ma’am,” Gerard murmured, leaning down to let his grandma kiss his cheek.

“Have fun boys! Pleasure to meet you, Frank,” she winked as she walked out the door, “but perhaps have a few more clothes on next time?”

“I can’t make any promises,” he smiled at her laughter, waving goodbye as she shut the door. “I like her.”

“Can we not talk about my grandma right before we have sex?”

“You’re the one who forgot she was here,” Frank laughed, pulling off his shirt as Gerard wrapped his arms around his waist, pressing himself to Frank’s now naked back. “Besides, who said anything about sex? I need a shower.”

Gerard mouthed at his neck as Frank waddled through the penthouse to their bedroom, trying to shake the older man. “I do believe you promised me a blow job in the car,” he felt Gerard’s warm breath against his neck, making him shiver, as his fingers danced along his chest. “I’d like to make good on that promise, if you’re still game.”

Turning around in his arms, Frank looked up at Gerard, studying him. He didn’t much feel like giving a blow job tonight; Gerard was pretty big, and while he loved it, he didn’t feel like giving his jaw a workout. Removing Gerard’s shirt, he then took to ridding them of their pants before making his way into the bathroom.

“No blow job tonight, sweetie,” he said over his shoulder, shimmying out of his boxers so Gerard got a good look at his ass. “I’m in the mood for something a little different.”

Only a few minutes later, Frank had Gerard exactly where he wanted him: pressed against the shower wall with his ass spread, Frank licking greedily at his entrance. Gerard was moaning loudly, thank god the noise was muffled by the steady running water of the shower. Lapping at his hole like his life depended on it, Frank squeezed the full, firm globes of Gerard’s ass that were occupying his hands, speading and digging into the cheeks with his fingers. Gerard pushed back to meet Frank’s mouth, and Frank pulled away with a playful slap to Gerard’s ass.

“Lemme finish,” he laughed, attempting to dive back in when he felt Gerard’s hand fist tightly into his hair. “Ah, babe, that hurts-”

“It’s supposed to,” Gerard cut him off, turning around to face Frank as he was still on his knees. “Suck me off, I’m close. Come on, Frankie, open up.” Rolling his eyes, the younger man had to suppress a grin as he opened his mouth and took in as much of Gerard’s length as he could, bobbing his head and hollowing his cheeks. Gerard always seemed to get his way in the end.

Gerard gripped his hair tightly, thrusting into the wet warmth of Frank’s mouth, using the boy as he pleased. Frank was surprised by the rough turn of events, but pleasantly so, as he held on to Gerard’s tensing thighs, allowing him to fuck his mouth and take control. Normally a gentle and generous lover, clearly the man wasn’t in the mood for that tonight, grunting and thrusting hard into Frank’s throat, not stopping even when Frank gagged. Tears began to sting the corners of his eyes, but he held on, digging his nails into the meat of Gerard’s thighs, moaning when he got his first taste of Gerard’s orgasm.

“ _Fuck, Frankie,_ ” Gerard panted above him, his thrusting slowing to a halt as Frank continued to suck him dry. “Baby, come on,” he whined from the overstimulation, mewling when Frank pulled off with a gentle kiss to the head of his cock. “Fuck, that was amazing.”

“Mmm,” Frank hummed in agreement, standing on wobbling legs and pressing a gentle kiss to Gerard’s lips. “You should lose control more often. It’s fuckin’ hot.”

Gerard took Frank’s cock in his hand as they made out lazily beneath the spray of the shower. Soon, Frank was a trembling mess, cumming with a groan that was easily swallowed up by Gerard’s hungry mouth. He pulled the shaking boy to his chest, kissing him sweetly along his cheeks, his now clean hand running through Frank’s wet hair. He was having trouble standing, eyes squeezed shut as he clung to Gerard while he whimpered.

“I’ve got you, baby, I’ve got you,” he whispered, wondering why Frank was so shaken and weak. Perhaps he had been too forceful with the boy early, getting carried away while Frank was blowing him. He was afraid to ask, scared he’d overstepped some unspoken boundary; all he could do was hold him close. “Shh, shh, it’s okay, Frank. What’s wrong?”

“Nothin’,” he mumbled, clearly a lie. “Do you mind if we just go to bed? I’m pretty tired.”

“Sure, baby,” Gerard kissed the top of Frank’s head, still holding him close for another moment. For the rest of the evening he felt almost as shaken as Frank, the sudden shift in the boy’s mood throwing him off.

Wrapping around each other in Gerard’s massive bed, Frank laid awake for a long time, feeling foolish for how he’d acted in the shower. He knew he had scared Gerard, and for that he felt awful, but he was pretty scared himself - he’d been denying it for so long, but it hit him suddenly in the shower that he was a total goner for Gerard. It shook him to the core, knowing they’d gone from having fun to this, to having real feelings, and Frank never wanted _love,_ he never wanted to gain a boyfriend or a family out of this.

Fuck, what about Lola? What if they split up? That would devastate her, and Frank. He felt himself shaking again, the overwhelming emotion wracking his small frame. It was nearly three in the morning and he was a blubbering mess. He felt Gerard stir next to him, and he snuggled his face against Frank’s shoulder.

“I don’t know what’s wrong,” he said gently, “and I have the feeling you aren’t ready to talk about it, and that’s okay. I’m here, though.” Searching for his hand in the dark, Gerard laced their fingers together, causing a sob to catch in Frank’s throat. “You’re scared, and I get that. I’m scared, too; but we’re in this, whatever it is, together. I’m right here, Frank. I’m not going anywhere, okay?”

Feeling his heart rate settle, the panic attack that was threatening to rear its’ ugly head backed down. They were a team now; partners. Whatever happened, they could get through it together. And maybe Gerard didn’t love him, not now anyway, but Frank had the feeling that they were onto something good.

“Okay,” Frank exhaled, kissing Gerard’s knuckles. “Okay.”

*

Frank awoke the next morning to find himself alone in Gerard’s bed. It wasn’t unusual, as Gerard was more of a morning person than Frank, and liked to let Frank rest when he could. He smiled to himself as he imagined what would be waiting for him in the kitchen: Gerard, waiting on another pot of coffee to brew as Lola giggled and fidgeted in her high chair, waiting on her Cheerios. Stretching languidly, he rolled out of bed and headed for the door, but stopped in his tracks when he heard Gerard’s raised voice echoing down the hall.

“Does it _matter?_ Truly, what business is it of yours?” He could hear the venom laced in Gerard’s voice as he stood in the dark hallway, still as a statue.

“Simple curiosity, that’s all,” came another voice, a male voice, quiet and collected. It wasn’t Mikey, Frank knew that.

Gerard sighed. “No. Okay? I’m not with anyone.” Frank felt a twisting sensation in his chest. “I’ve already told you this, and I don’t really know why I’m repeating myself-“

“Because I want you back, Gee, I want our family back! I want a chance to prove that I can be the husband you deserve, the father Lola deserves. You know I can give you what you want, and what Lola needs.” There was silence, and Frank’s insides further twisted, his heart hammered against his chest as he silently begged Gerard to throw this man out… and then it hit him: this was Brian.

“I can’t talk about this right now,” Gerard said softly. Frank felt tears begin to prick at his eyes.

“Will you think about it? Please?” Frank heard shuffling, like maybe Brian was moving closer to Gerard. It took all of Frank’s willpower not to leave the hallway and sprint for the door. He didn’t hear a response from Gerard, but Brian sighed contentedly. “Thank you.”

There was a brief pause before Frank heard the unmistakable sound of a kiss; soft and sweet, brief and barely there, but still a kiss. The tears he was holding back sprang free, rolling down his cheeks in hot tracks.

“Call me, okay? I want to see you again.” More silence, then the door opening. “I love you, Gerard.” The door shut softly, and at that Frank sank to the floor, a sob catching in his throat.

“Frank?” He did his best to stay quiet, but his body shook with the effort to keep from crying. “Frank are you there? Are you-“ Gerard appeared before him, eyes falling on his broken form in the hall. He fell to his knees in front of him, wrapping his arms around him. “Baby, I’m so sorry you had to hear that, I’m so sorry-“

“Don’t touch me,” he whispered, moving out of Gerard’s grasp. He couldn’t bring himself to look at the broken expression on the man’s face. “Don’t act like you care about me.”

“But I do care about you,” he put his hand on Frank’s cheek, making their eyes meet. “Frank, I had to get Brian to leave.”

“You didn’t have to kiss him,” Gerard winced, “you didn’t have to tell him you’d think about getting back together with him! You didn’t have to lie about being single!” Frank stood, causing Gerard to fall back against the wall. “Are you even over Brian?”

“What? Of course I am!” He stood then, following Frank as he stormed through the penthouse to his bedroom. “Frank, please stop, please let me explain myself.”

“There’s nothing to explain, Gerard,” he answered monotonously as he reached beneath his bed to grab his suitcase. “You lied to your ex about me, the ex who wants you back, the ex who can give you the life you want and deserve. I mean, what am I, right? Just some kid who’s in way over his head,” he laughed bitterly, haphazardly stuffing clothes into the suitcase. “Don’t even get me started about you kissing him.”

“It was a mistake, Frank, I’m so-“

“Shut up!” Frank wheeled around, shouting loudly. “Just shut the fuck up for once, okay? I don’t play second fiddle to anyone, doesn’t matter who it is! I’m not about to sit around and wait for you to make up your mind about who and what you want!” Lola’s distinctive cry came through the baby monitor, and he had to fight the urge to run and get her. “I know I’m just some kid, just a fuckin’ _nanny_ to you. I’m not some rich art dealer or music mogul like Brian or whatever he fuckin’ does. But I’m not a shitty person, okay?” He felt himself begin to cry, looking at Gerard’s sad, beautiful face. “I’m… I’m not someone’s second choice. I’m not a rebound.” He swallowed heavily. “Right?”

Lola began to scream for him, and Frank felt his heart begin to break. The longer Gerard stayed silent, the more deafening her cries became, and the more painful and tight his chest felt. He felt himself tremble, turning back around to pull a shirt on over his head, still in only his pajama pants. Sliding his feet into his slippers, he closed his suitcase and grabbed his phone.

“Give Lola my love,” he said softly, pushing past Gerard as he stormed through the penthouse, his vision blurred by his tears.

When he was outside, he pulled his phone from his pocket, wiping his tears on the back of his hand. Still shaking, he dialed the only person he had left.

“Jamia?” His voice broke, and she instantly knew what was wrong. “Can you come and get me?”

*

“Shh, shh, don’t cry, princess, don’t cry,” Gerard whispered into Lola’s soft hair, clutching the small child to his chest. He rocked her back and forth as they sat on the floor of Frank’s room, the little girl having cried for him all day.

“Fank,” she sniffled, her tiny fist pulling at the fabric of Gerard’s shirt.

“I know baby, I know.” He kissed the top of her head again, his eyes brimming with tears. “He’ll be back, princess, he’ll be back.”

He looked around the room, taking in the sight of all the things Frank had left behind. He’d let the two most important people in his life down; Lola by letting Frank go, and Frank by hurting him and not fighting to keep him. Closing his eyes, he finally let himself cry.

“I’m sorry, princess. I’m gonna make it right, okay?” He felt Lola nod against his chest, her thumb in her mouth. “I promise.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happiest of birthdays to the ever amazing and beautiful Gerard Way.  
> An epilogue will be up soon; until then, please forgive any mistakes as they are my own.

The Wounded Man haunted him. He couldn’t think with that painting staring at him like that, the handsome male with the strong jaw laying, wallowing in his own agony. Every single day, that painting mocked him, serving as a reminder of his own pain, though his was internal. Gerard wanted to throw the damn thing out, unable to look at it without his heart clenching, but Mikey had somehow convinced him to keep it.

“It’s a masterpiece,” he stated after hearing Gerard moan about how much he wanted it gone. “And it’s the only tasteful thing you’ve got in this dreadful office of yours. Why do you want it gone so badly? If it annoys you that much, just sell it; you’re an art dealer, aren’t you?”

Head on his desk, Gerard felt rather petulant. “You don’t get it, Mikes. I can feel him judging me.”

“In all the years I’ve known you, which is my entire life, in case you’ve forgotten, I feel like I can safely say that’s the biggest load of shit you’ve ever said.”

Gerard lifted his head, glaring at his brother.

“I’m heartbroken, Mikey, could you take a little pity on me?”

“You’re a drama queen is what you are,” Mikey snorted, falling gracefully into the chair across from his moping brother. “Listen, I’m sorry about Frank. But you did this to yourself, Gee, so you either suck it up and move on, or you fight and try and win him back.”

Gerard’s head fell back on the desk with a thud. “I just thought he’d come back by now, that’s all.”

“And _why_ would he have come back?” Mikey was getting more than a little annoyed at this point, having to play matchmaker for his romantically stunted older brother was taking its’ toll. “You didn’t stop him when he left, you haven’t contacted him since, it’s been over a month. He probably thinks you’re happy that he’s gone.”

“How could he think that?” Gerard was incredulous, whining like a teenager who hadn’t gotten his way.

“Did you miss everything I just said?” Sighing, Mikey leaned forward and grabbed his brother by the hair, pulling his head up so they could face each other. “Call him.”

“And say _what?_ ”

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe ‘sorry for kissing my ex, lying about our relationship, then not stopping you from walking out of my life when I had the chance’? Sound good?” He gave Gerard’s head a little shake; his arm was getting tired. Who knew his brother had such a massive, heavy head?

“Oh, oh, I’ve got it,” Gerard’s eyes widened, a smile gracing his features, “I’ll tell him Lola misses him, and she’d love to see him again.” Mikey let go of his hair, and his head fell forward with another loud thud. “Christ, warn me before you do that!”

“That’s manipulative, Gerard. Be honest with him or don’t call him at all. He deserves the truth from you.”

Rubbing the skin on his forehead that hit the desk, Gerard pouted at his brother. “Since when did you take Frank’s side?”

“Fuck’s sake, Gee, this isn’t about sides!” Mikey stood and headed for the door, but stopped himself as a thought came to him. “I watched the way Brian destroyed you with half-truths and manipulations, and I won’t let you get hurt again. And I sure as shit won’t let you do that to someone else, especially not Frank.” The surprise must’ve showed on Gerard’s face. “Yeah, I like him, okay? He’s a good guy, and he makes my brother and my niece happy. I know I doubted him at first, but that little shrimp grew on me.”

“He’s gonna hate you for calling him a shrimp,” Gerard flashed that lopsided smile at his brother, getting a soft chuckle in return. “Thank you, Mikey. I’ll… I’ll call him.”

“Good. And you’re welcome. Or something.” Mikey opened the door and headed for his desk, leaving Gerard in silence again.

Looking back at the painting, he hoped that Frank had it in him to forgive him. He knew they had their differences, and a bit of an age gap, but those things only endeared him to Frank more. Perhaps the painting wasn’t so black and white; maybe it was saying that, while yes, we had to have our sadness in life, our pain, our sorrow, at the end of it, if we tried, if we made it through, we would experience happiness. Maybe even joy.

Gerard hoped that Frank could be a part of his joy.

With a shaking hand, he unlocked his phone and pulled up his contacts. His thumb hovered over the tiny phone icon next to Frank’s name. Before he could talk himself out of it, he closed his eyes and pressed his thumb to the phone.

*

“Don’t you _dare_ call him,” Jamia hissed, snatching the phone out of Frank’s hand. “Don’t you have more self respect than that?” She pocketed his phone, glaring at him as she headed to the kitchen in her small apartment.

Frank rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t going to call him!” He shuddered under Janis’s glare, knowing he couldn’t get away with the lie. “Okay, maybe I thought about it, but it was a fleeting thought!”

“We’ve been friends way too long for me to allow you to go crawling back to that man, Frank.” She began to search for something in her refrigerator, angrily shoving things around. “After what he did to you? No fucking way.” She turned to the counter, slamming down a package of cold cuts, manhandling the loaf of bread and a bottle of mustard.

“Are you gonna make a sandwich or murder it?” Frank was aiming for sarcasm, but the look Jamia gave him made him shrink back into the couch in fear.

“This isn’t a joke,” she hissed, slapping mustard heavily on a slice of bread with a knife that was probably a little too big for its task. “Gerard Way broke your heart, and for the last month we’ve been putting the pieces back together. And where has he been?” She gesticulated wildly with the knife, setting Frank’s nerves on edge. “I’m not about to let you flush all that progress down the toilet just so you can hear his voice again. It was only last week that you stopped crying at random intervals.”

“In my defense, it was mostly during those ASPCA commercials. Sarah McLachlan and sad puppies break my heart.”

“Fair enough, but it still counts as crying!” She cut the sandwich in half violently, taking out her anger on the bread and cold cuts. “If I get that man alone, I swear to fuckin’ god…”

“I get it, you wanna kill Gerard,” he smiled as she made her way back to the couch, sitting next to him with her sandwich. “And yeah, it’s not a good idea for me to call him. I just… I miss him, ya know? We were good together. I miss Lola, too. Miss that chubby face,” he smiled at the memory, wondering if Lola even remembered him at this point, or if they had all moved on with Brian.

Jamia took a massive bite out of her sandwich, thinking for a moment while she chewed. “He let go of a damn good thing, Frank. He didn’t even fight for you, and that’s fucked up. Any man with an ounce of brains between his ears knows you’re worth moving mountains for.” He blushed at her praise. “I’m serious. If he can’t suck it up and apologize to you, then he’s not worth your time.”

They sat in silence for a long time after that, Jamia finishing off her sandwich and Frank thinking over her words. He knew she was right - he had no business calling Gerard after what happened. And even though he felt like he’d maybe overreacted, there had been no effort from Gerard to even reach out to him, not even to ask if he wanted to get the rest of his things. It was like Frank had never existed to Gerard at all, and that was the most painful part.

They were startled from their reverie when Frank’s phone began to ring loudly in Jamia’s pocket. She stuffed the last bite of her sandwich in her mouth before digging into her jeans and producing his phone, about to hand it over. Frank saw her eyes flick over the screen, retracting her hand in a flash.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” she said through a mouthful of bread and meat, answering the call and pressing the phone to her ear. “What?”

“Jamia, who is it?” Frank’s heart began to race as he grabbed for the phone, but Jamia pushed him back with a firm hand. “Jamia! Come on, give me my phone!”

“This is Jamia, actually,” she glared at Frank, her eyes warning him to back off. She was in mama bear mode for some reason, which only meant one thing: Gerard had actually called. “Why should I let you talk to him?”

“Because I’m an adult who can make my own decisions!” Frank shouted at the phone, wrestling with Jamia as she continued to somehow successfully ignore him. “Jamia, give me the fucking phone!”

“Language, Frank,” she chided him, returning her attention to the phone as Frank pouted on the other end of the couch. “I don’t have much to say to you Gerard; just know that you’re on thin ice right now. Don’t pull any stunts, got it?” She nodded, satisfied at the answer she received. “I’m gonna hand the phone to Frank. Don’t make me regret it.” Snatching the phone from her, Frank stuck his tongue out. “Oh, real mature,” she laughed. “Don’t put up with his bullshit. I’m serious.”

“Thanks mom,” he mumbled before returning his attention to the phone. “Hello?”

There was a moment of silence, and Frank wondered if maybe Jamia had hung up. Even worse, what if Gerard had hung up? His heart started to hammer in his chest and then he heard a soft sigh on the other line.

“Hey, Frankie.” His heart swooped, his stomach filled with butterflies, and it was like the last tear-filled month never happened at all. “It’s so good to hear your voice.” He was glad Jamia had left the room, because he nearly burst into tears at that moment.

“Yeah, Gee… it’s good to hear yours too.”

*

Frank headed out of the music shop, feeling a bit defeated; job hunting was never easy, and he was lucky Jamia had let him stay with her rent-free for the past month, but he felt guilty. His interview for a management position had gone okay, but he’d felt self conscious the entire time, knowing he’d walked out of his last job and been fired from the one before that probably wouldn’t help his chances of getting the job. He’d been lucky though, as both Gerard and his former boss had been kind enough to give him a reference. But he still couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d fucked up. 

Rounding the street corner, head in the clouds, he ran face first into someone’s chest, each of them shouting in surprise. The collision and the surprise of it caused Frank to fall flat on his ass, and as he shook his head, he glared up at the man he’d run into.

Gerard stared back at him, shock evident on his handsome features as he bent down. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out before a squealing Lola toddled her way into Frank’s lap. She laughed like a crazed child, the joy of seeing Frank again making her bounce in his lap, a foot stomping on Frank’s crotch. He winced despite himself, no matter how happy he was to see the two people he missed the most.

“Fankie!” She was bouncing and gripping his shirt, then threw her arms around his neck. “Missed you, missed you!”

Closing his eyes, he wrapped his arms around her tiny frame. “I missed you too, princess,” he said softly, burying his face into her blonde curls. Daring to open his eyes, he caught Gerard smiling at them, his face a mix of happiness and sorrow. Frank felt his heart squeeze in his chest.

They’d been talking, so it wasn’t like they were still ignoring each other, but it was hard. Frank was struggling with his feelings of betrayal and how to overcome them, and he knew Gerard was doing his best to gain his trust again. It helped that Brian was completely out of the picture, having given up on Gerard after he’d been told the truth. And while that put Frank at ease to a degree, he couldn’t help but wonder why Gerard hadn’t just been honest with Brian in the first place.

Frank stood with Lola in his arms, unwilling to let the little girl go. It just felt right to have her in his arms again.

“It’s good to see you, Frankie,” Gerard said softly, blushing like a virgin. “We’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you, too,” _please let me come back home._

He cradled Lola to his chest, relishing in the way she snuggled against him. He noticed then that in the short span of a month she seemed to have actually grown, and he suddenly understood why his mother used to get so sad when his birthday would come; kids grow up too fast. As the familiar feeling of a bittersweet moment sank into his bones, Gerard interrupted his thoughts.

“Sorry we ran into you,” he rushed out, “you seem kinda busy. Well, I mean, we’re not _sorry_ , I guess, because we’ve missed you, you know we love seeing you. I just meant that you look like you’re in a hurry and I don’t wanna take up your time, so I’ll just…” he took a breath and made a flailing motion for Lola, “I gotta get her to daycare.”

“Whoa, what? Daycare?” Gerard looked at him sheepishly. “I thought you said she hated daycare.”

“Yeah, she does. She’s gotten used to it, but I don’t like leaving her there all day, I barely see her during the week. And we’re both so tired after I pick her up that we just kind of… collapse.” Now that Frank got a good look at him, he could see the dark circles that had taken up residence beneath Gerard’s eyes. “I wasn’t ready to find another nanny after you left.” His voice turned soft, his eyes sad again. “And judging by how tightly she’s clinging to you, I’m guessing Lola wasn’t ready either.”

Frank looked down at the bundle of adorable, pink-clad joy in his arms, and decided at that moment that he needed to help. “Let me take her for the day.”

Gerard shook his head. “No, Frank, I get that you’re trying to help-”

“You look dead on your feet, Gerard, and I’ve missed her. Now give me the diaper bag and let me take care of Lola for the day.” They stared at one another, stubborn as a pair of mules. “Okay, a couple of hours? At least so you can go take a nap or something.”

He thought about it for a moment, the promise of sleep clearly tempting. Eventually he nodded, giving in. “Just a couple hours, though. I don’t want you to give up your day for us.”

“I’d give up anything for this little one,” Frank smiled at Lola, giving her a playful bounce in his arms, loving the sweet giggle she gave him in return. “Now gimme the diaper bag and _go home,_ Gerard. I’ll have her back just after lunch time; I’m thinking she’ll be my lunch date today. I feel like making some straight ladies swoon.”

Gerard snorted, rolling his eyes as he handed over the bag. “Alright, Casanova, take care of her. Do you need a key to the penthouse? I don’t know if I’ll be awake when you bring her over.”

Frank felt himself flush. “No, I… I kept my key.” He hadn’t been able to bring himself to get rid of it, much to Jamia’s chagrin. There was something inside him that just wouldn’t let him do it; he just felt like they weren’t finished, that there was something more. He’d never admit it, but he’d often thought of going back to the penthouse and just trying to work things out, but his stupid pride always got the better of him.

“Yeah, good, okay,” Gerard swallowed as he stumbled over his words, clearly surprised at Frank’s admission. “Um, well… okay, have fun.” He turned abruptly on his heel and began to walk away, but the sound of Lola’s protests brought him back. “Ah, gosh, I’m such an idiot, goodbye sweetie, I’ll see you in a bit, okay?” He leaned in and kissed her forehead, and he was so close to Frank that he could smell him. “Be good for Frankie.”

“Bye dada!” She quickly forgot all about her father, turning her attention back to Frank. She wriggled in his arms, eager to be put back on the ground, so he obliged, holding her hand to keep her close.

“See you later!” Frank called to Gerard as they turned to leave, his heart beating at a breakneck speed. He felt eyes on him as they headed down the block, and it wasn’t until they’d rounded the corner that he felt like he could breathe again. Lola occupied his thoughts and attention from that moment on, but he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that this was the universe’s way of bringing him back to Gerard.

And sure, they’d been talking lately; nothing serious, just slowly moving back into each other’s lives again. This, though, was like old times. It felt right, almost too right, and it had him shaken.

He’d sworn off Gerard after everything that happened. Could he really fall back into their broken relationship so quickly?

*

Lola was fast asleep in his arms as the rode the elevator up to Gerard’s penthouse. He’d missed this; spending time with Lola, getting to take her out and spoil her. They’d gone to the park and had lunch after that, Lola basking in the attention she got from both Frank and perfect strangers. The familiarity of the whole situation hit too close to home, and although he and Gerard were at least repairing their friendship, he was worried he’d set himself back down a long, emotionally unstable path.

The penthouse was silent, and Frank guessed that Gerard was still asleep. He laid Lola in her crib, making sure to be gentle with her; if she woke up, he knew she’d cry when he left, and he didn’t want a grumpy Lola and Gerard on his hands at the same time. Turning on her baby monitor, he slowly backed out of her room, and shut the door as quietly as he could.

He stood outside Gerard’s bedroom, unsure what he should do. He wanted to say goodbye, to let Gerard know Lola was home safe; he wanted to curl up in their bed again and nap with him, just like they used to. So he settled on simply opening his door, finding the room was mostly dark, save for the bit of sunlight that came through the curtains. Gerard was passed out on his giant bed, not even bothering to get under the sheets, his hair a mess as he snores softly. Frank couldn’t help but smile, noting how sweet the his ex looked while he slept. Crossing the room as quietly as possible, he turned on the baby monitor.

“Frank?” Gerard’s voice was thick with sleep, eyes glazed over as he tried to focus them. “When did you get home?”

_Home._

“Just got in, and I put Lola down for her nap,” Frank said softly, sitting on the edge of the bed as Gerard propped himself up. “You should go back to sleep. I think she’ll be out for a while.”

Gerard nodded, his expression a little confused. “Will you be here when I wake up?”

He bit his lip, unsure of what to say. Of course he wanted to be there when Gerard woke up, he never wanted to leave this penthouse again. But he also knew that right now wasn’t the right time. They were just starting to sort through their problems, and jumping headfirst into their old ways could ruin any chance they had of being happy together. So he shook his head, trying his best to ignore Gerard’s cute little pout.

“I’m gonna head back to Jamia’s place. Tonight’s my night to cook.” He gave Gerard a small smile, knowing Jamia was going to kill him when she found out what he’d been up to all day.

“Can I call you tomorrow? If you’re not doing anything, I mean.” Gerard was fully sitting up at that point, bringing himself dangerously close to Frank. The smaller man fought the urge to lean in.

“You can call me whenever you want, Gee.” His heart skipped a beat at the sleepy smile that made its way across Gerard’s features. “Give Lola my love, okay?” Gerard nodded silently before he swiftly closed the gap between them, connecting their lips with a gentle kiss.

Time stood still for the briefest of moments as Gerard’s lips ghosted over Frank’s. He was frozen to the spot, afraid to move for a myriad of reasons, chief among them being that if he reciprocated, he wouldn’t be able to stop. But the warm comfort Gerard was providing, and the innocence behind the kiss helped Frank to relax some, and he found his lips responding in kind as his eyelids fluttered shut. Tentatively, he brought his hand to Gerard’s warm cheek and held him close.

All too quickly, Gerard broke the kiss. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that,” he pulled away, hiding his face as he pulled his knees to his chest. “That was too soon.”

“Probably,” Frank smiled, finding Gerard’s sudden shyness endearing, “but… I don’t mind.” He laughed when Gerard looked up at him with hope in his eyes. “Oh, come on. You know you’re a good kisser. I’ve missed your kisses.”

Gerard flushed wildly, hiding his face again. “I don’t think I’m going back to sleep anytime soon.”

“Serves you right, just planting one on me outta nowhere like that,” Frank smirked as he stood, looking down at Gerard. “Come on, Gee. Be a gentleman and walk me out.”

They lingered at the front door, neither of them saying much. Gerard mostly kept his eyes on the floor, looking away and flushing if he caught Frank’s eye. They stood in silence, until Gerard cleared his throat. Frank looked at him expectantly.

“Thanks again, for helping out,” he swallowed, throat bobbing. It was giving Frank some very explicit flashbacks. “You’re always welcome to see Lola.”

“And what about you?” Tired of dancing around it, Frank got straight to the point. “Am I welcome to see you?”

Taken aback, Gerard tried to choose his words carefully. “Of course, Frank. I always want to see you.”

“Then call me,” Frank pulled him in gently by the front of his shirt, “ask me out,” he leaned in closely, his lips almost touching Gerard’s. He felt strong hands on his hips, keeping their bodies close. “And _see me,_ ya big jerk.” For good measure, just once more, Frank kissed him, brief but with purpose, making his intent known.

He released Gerard and backed away, biting his lip as he waved goodbye. Gerard gave a weak wave in response, the baffled, sleepy smile on his face enough for Frank to know the kiss had the impact he’d been going for. Practically sprinting for the elevator, he had to stifle his laughter, getting a few curious glances from the other residents of the building. He couldn’t find it in him to care, his whole body thrumming with happiness and anticipation. Maybe… maybe this could work? If they tried, if they really went for it, if they could move on from the past.

He knew it wouldn’t be easy, but he wanted to try - he owed it to himself to go after what he wanted, and what he wanted was Gerard. That notion, that feeling, still terrified him; being willing to give yourself completely to someone, even when they’ve hurt you. He just hoped this leap of faith wouldn’t have them crashing and burning again.

*

Taking his time wandering through the gallery, hands clasped behind his back, Frank felt like he was mostly putting on a show. Sure, he loved art of all kinds, and the paintings before him were beautiful and extraordinary - but again, he felt out of place. This particular gallery was having a private showing, and some of the pieces would be sold for the right (very high) price. Gerard had asked him to be his date, and Frank had accepted without question, eager to spend time with him again. He hadn’t stopped to think that he’d waltzed right back out of his comfort zone yet again. He felt Gerard’s hand gently take hold of his arm, pulling him close.

“Not exactly what you’d had in mind for our first date, huh?” His smile was kind and understanding as Frank shook his head. “Don’t worry, we won’t be long. I’d like to show you something, get your opinion on it.”

Gerard steered him through the gallery, linking their arms together. He felt his insides begin to buzz pleasantly at the contact, liking how it felt as if Gerard was showing him off to all of his high society friends - the punk kid from Jersey and the art dealer from the Upper East Side. What a sight they must’ve made.

Rounding a corner into a small alcove, two lonely paintings hung on the wall. The lights above them were dim and Frank had to squint for a moment to really see them, but he could appreciate their beauty. Both were paintings of the sea; one showed a wave, cresting as it prepared to crash upon dark rocks, the sky dreary and promising a storm. The color of the water fascinated Frank, just how detailed and stunning it was; it was stirring something in him, an emotion he couldn’t put his thumb on, but he felt a connection to it.

The painting to his left was another scene of the ocean, this one quite the opposite of the dramatic waves and dark skies of its neighbor. Beautiful pastels danced across the canvas, the calm water a beautiful turquoise, and the sand a soft, buttery yellow. Clouds dotted the sky, but unlike the angry grey of other painting, these clouds were fluffy and white. Two small boats nestled neatly in the dunes that sprang up from the ocean, comfortable despite being abandoned. Frank was again thrown off by the emotion that bubbled up inside him, and he found himself reaching for Gerard’s hand, glad that he squeezed back gently.

“What do you think?” Gerard’s voice was soft, curious, careful not to frighten Frank out of this moment he was experiencing. He wanted to hold the boy suddenly, but knew now was not the time; he was connecting with the art before him.

“I had no idea a painting could make me feel like this,” he rushed out in a laugh, his eyes watering as he tore them away from the beauty before him, looking up at the beautiful man at his side. “They’re stunning.”

“Mmm, they are,” Gerard nodded in agreement, pointing to the painting on the left. “This one is called The Calm Sea. And the one to the right, is The Wave. Both by Gustave Courbet.”

“Courbet,” Frank repeated, recognizing the name. “Isn’t that the guy who did the painting in your office?”

“Sure is,” he beamed, thrilled that Frank had remembered. “The Wounded Man has been a sad reminder of my life for the past few years. Courbet is not my favorite artist by any means, but the emotion he conveys and projects into his work always astounded me.” He slid his arm around Frank’s waist, pulling the smaller man to his side. “I see you feel the same.”

“It’s hard not to,” Frank let out a shaking breath, steadying himself against Gerard. “I never knew a painting of the ocean could feel so personal.”

“All art is personal, Frankie. There’s a story and an emotion, or multiple emotions, behind every piece of art, be it a sculpture, a painting, or a 30-second grindcore song that you can’t understand the lyrics to,” he chuckled to himself at that last bit, clearly feeling rather clever. He kissed the top of Frank’s head. “I know we come from different worlds, Frank, but perhaps that’s not such a bad thing. You’ve seen plenty of my life. Now I’d like to see some of yours.”

Frank looked up at him, confused. “I don’t follow.”

“For the rest of the night, we’re going to do whatever you want.” Frank’s eyebrows raised at that. “Wherever you want to see or do, just say the word. Teach me, show me what makes you tick, what made you into the man you are today.”

Frank bit his lip, blushing at some of the thoughts that raced through his mind. He turned in Gerard’s arms, looking up at him with mischief in his eyes.

“There’s a show tonight, out in Brooklyn.” His smile grew wider at the look on Gerard’s face. “We’ll have to ditch the suit jackets, and I think I left a pair of my Chucks in your car, so… we can make it if we leave now.”

Gerard smirked. “Who’s the band?”

Shrugging in return, Frank felt himself becoming giddy. “Some shitty local band. Not a chance of making it, but they’re a lot of fun to watch. Whadda ya say, Gee?” Frank pulled him in by the lapels of his jacket. “You feel like taking in a punk show out in Brooklyn?” The look of genuine happiness on Gerard’s face almost surprised Frank as he felt the older man’s hands slide down his sides and rest on his lower back.

“For you, Frankie?” He swooped in and placed a quick kiss to Frank’s lips. “Anything you want, baby.”

But this wasn’t exactly the _anything_ Gerard had in mind.

He stood in the middle of the crowded, run-down club, his suit jacket having been discarded some time ago, his dress shoes replaced by an old pair of Vans he’d kept in his car in case he decided to take Lola on a spontaneous trip to the park. His tie had gone missing as well; Frank had helped rid him of it while they made out in the car before entering the venue. They were both a disheveled mess, faces flushed and hair tousled from their brief yet intense moment in Gerard’s car; and the look on Frank’s face had him hoping it was a promise of more to come.

Frank had been correct about the band - they weren’t exactly going places, what with their sound being a recycled, watered down version of the Misfits, but he could tell the crowd was having a good time. He sensed Frank’s body beside his own, practically squirming with the need to jump into the pit and lose himself with the music. Catching his eye, Gerard smiled and cocked his head in the direction of the pit.

“Go ahead,” he shouted above the music, “you don’t have to hang back here with this old man.”

Frank rolled his eyes but gave him a smile. “You’re not old!” It was difficult to hear over the thumping of the bass and the crunch of the guitars. “I haven’t been in a pit in ages. Don’t think I’m ready to dive back in just yet.”

And in his heart Gerard knew that was a lie; Frank wasn’t afraid of anything, he took life by the balls and squeezed. He was an act first, ask questions later kinda guy. So what was holding him back? Smiling to himself, Gerard grabbed his date by the front of his dress shirt, and dragged him towards the pit.

“What the fuck, Gee?!” Frank’s hands squeezed and pulled at arm that was pulling him, but Gerard’s grip was strong. “What are you doing?!” “Helping you have a little fun!” At the last second, right along the edge of the pit, Gerard pulled him in close, bringing their lips together. “And reminding you to stop overthinking everything. Don’t overthinking going into this pit, who gives a fuck if it’s been a while? Don’t overthink _us,_ either. The man I fell in love with is wild and free, and I know he’s itching to get out.”

Frank’s heart skipped a beat.

“You love me?” A man on the outside of the pit knocked into them, but they clung to each other as if it never happened, like they were the only ones in the room.

“Yes, you little shit,” Gerard laughed before kissing Frank again. “Now get in there!” With a playful shove and a slap on the ass, Gerard watched as Frank was swallowed by the mass of people, his joyful smile never wavering.

Gerard took a step back, giving Frank and the swirling pit of bodies room to do as much damage as they pleased. He couldn’t see Frank in the crowd, but he knew they’d made the right decision in coming to the show that night. They’d each gotten to see their differences, and learn that they could turn them into something that actually worked; Frank would never be as enamoured with art the way that Gerard was, but he had an appreciation for it. And Gerard could never see himself in the pit at a local punk show, but Frank loved it, and seeing Frank happy made Gerard happy. There would always be bumps in the road, two stubborn guys like them were bound to butt heads on occasion. But it was the love between them that mattered most, and the thought that he’d almost given it up completely made Gerard physically ache.

A while later, as Gerard stood in the back of the crowd, leaning against one of the heavy support beams near the bar, Frank wandered out slowly, soaked in sweat and looking a little worse for wear. The wide grin he was sporting was indicative of the good time he’d been having, and Gerard almost felt a little guilty that the night was winding down. Frank practically flopped against him when he pulled him in for a hug, and Gerard kissed the top of his sweaty hair.

“Let’s step outside,” he said softly, taking Frank’s hand and guiding the exhausted man out the front entrance. The night air felt cool against his skin, and he felt Frank let out a relieved sigh. “You alright, Frankie?”

“Yeah,” he laughed, sounding surprised at his own happiness. “I’m just… I haven’t had this much fun in years.” He smiled up at Gerard. “Tonight has been wonderful.”

Gerard felt as if his heart was about to burst. “I’m glad you had a good time, baby,” he kissed his forehead, holding Frank close to him. When Frank looked up, those beautiful hazel eyes full of happiness and love, Gerard dipped down and slid their lips together.

Frank was the first to pull away, breathless as he pressed their heads together. “God, I’ve missed you,” he whispered, bringing his hands up and clasping them behind Gerard’s neck.

“Come home,” Gerard replied, hoping he wasn’t crossing any boundaries. Frank only chuckled.

“Well, I was kinda thinking that would happen,” he mused. “You didn’t have to ask, ya know.”

“No, Frank,” he pulled back to look at Frank, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. “I mean it. Come _home,_ to stay. Not as my nanny, but… as my boyfriend. My partner.”

Frank was deadly silent, his eyes roaming over Gerard’s face for any sign of dishonesty. He let out a shaky breath, eyes downcast and brimming with emotion.

“Do you mean that?” His voice was soft and unsure.

“With every molecule in my body,” Gerard tipped Frank’s chin up so he could get a better look at that pretty face. “Frank, I love you. I want to spend as much time with you as I possibly can, and if you aren’t ready to take such a big step, that’s okay. I’ll wait for you. You’re worth it.”

“What if Brian comes back, though?” Frank sighed. “What will you say to him if he comes knocking again?”

“I’ll tell him to fuck off,” he replied, and Frank couldn’t help the laugh that slipped through at the deadly serious tone of Gerard’s voice.

“Somehow I doubt you’ve ever told anyone to fuck off, Gee.”

Gerard just shrugged, his lopsided grin spreading across pink cheeks. “First time for everything. So… what do you think?”

“I think…” Frank paused for dramatic effect, loving how impatient Gerard became. “I think it sounds amazing, and I’d love to come back home.” Gerard cut him off with a crushing kiss, hands roaming all over Frank’s back and through his hair.

“I love you,” Gerard said between kisses, “love you so fuckin’ much, Frankie, you have no idea.”

“I love you too, ya big goof,” Frank giggled as Gerard peppered his cheeks and neck with kisses, not caring at the innocent passerby who were about to get an eyeful. “Gee, come on, come on, stop!” He was laughing like a lunatic, as Gerard squeezed and tickled at his sides. “Gee, let’s… let’s go home.”

Gerard stopped and looked down at Frank, the street lamp casting a beautiful glow across his face. He felt like the luckiest man in the tri-state area.

“Yeah… let’s go home.”

*

Frank flopped down in one of the plush leather chairs in Gerard’s office. It had been a long, slow day at the shop, spent mostly crunching numbers and dealing with inventory. Such was the life of a manager, he supposed, and though it wasn’t perfect, it wasn’t what he loved, it was close enough for now. It was stable work that brought him money and allowed him to spend time with Gerard and Lola in the evenings and on weekends too. He’d decided to pay his boyfriend a visit after leaving work, knowing he’d still be stuck at his desk, his ear glued to his phone. And he’d been correct.

“Hey baby,” Gerard beamed as he hung up the phone. “What brings you by?”

“Just wanted to see you,” he shrugged, stifling a yawn. “I played a bit with Lola next door - she really seems to be liking her new nanny.”

“Mikey seems to be liking her as well,” Gerard snorted. “She’s good with Lola though. I like her.”

“What’s her name again?”

“Kristin. Sweet girl. I’m really glad your job is letting you have the evenings off though,” Gerard said, motioning for Frank to join him behind the desk. “Gives Lola some time with you. She loves you so much, Frankie.”

“Well, who wouldn’t?” He smiled as he sat in Gerard’s lap, spinning them around in the oversized chair together. “I feel like we’re a little old for this, Gee,” he was giggling then, trying his best not to become dizzy.

“Nonsense, you’re never too old to spin around in a rolly chair,” he kissed the scorpion on Frank’s neck as they slowed to a halt. “Notice anything different?”

His vision coming back into focus, Frank looked around the room for a moment before his eyes landed on the wall that normally held The Wounded Man. Except now, two paintings had taken its’ place; The Wave, and The Calm Sea, the paintings that Gerard had showed to him in the private gallery a month ago.

“You bought them?” He turned to look at Gerard, who was grinning sheepishly.

“Couldn’t resist,” he shrugged. “You loved them so much, and I felt like it was time to move on from The Wounded Man.”

“What do you mean?” Frank stood, grabbing Gerard’s hand, and made their way to the paintings. They were just as beautiful as he had remembered, more so in person. Leave it to Gerard to make some grand gesture like buying two one of a kind, priceless paintings, just because his boyfriend cried.

“Well, it might sound a little silly, but I’d always felt a connection to The Wounded Man; like he represented me in some strange way.” Gerard put his chin on Frank’s shoulder as he wrapped his arms around Frank’s waist from behind. “I bought it when I was at my lowest point in life, and now that I’ve come out of that, I felt like it was time to give him to a better home. And when you fell in love with these two beauties, I knew I had to have them… they remind me of you.”

Frank turned his head to plant a slightly awkward kiss to Gerard’s lips. “And just how, exactly, do two paintings of the ocean remind you of me?”

Gerard laughed, nuzzling against the side of Frank’s cheek. “Simple: there are two sides to you, the wild, untamable side, and the gentle, serene side. Just like the ocean; just like these paintings. Everyday that I step into this office, I go to my desk and see my picture of you with Lola, and then I see these paintings, and I’m reminded of how lucky I am.”

Frank turned in his arms to face him. “You know we’re gonna fight sometimes, right?” Gerard nodded, smiling as if he expected this. “Sometimes it’s gonna be rough, and I’m gonna get angry, or jealous, _fuck,_ I already get jealous, just by the way other people look at you-”

“So let ‘em look. At the end of the day, I’m going home to you.”

Frank sighed. “How are you so calm about this?”

“Because I know this is right, that we’re right. You and I, Frank, we just…” He struggled, not sure how to put into words what he was feeling.

“Click,” Frank said softly. “We click.”

“ _Yes,_ ” he beamed, squeezing Frank tightly to his chest. “All the fights in the world couldn’t make me stop loving you. All the crazy ex’s, screaming toddlers, dirty diapers, you name it. Frankie, I’m in this.”

Nodding, Frank felt a wave of relief wash over him. He smiled. “Me too, Gee. I’m in this, too.”

They gathered their belongings and turned out the lights, Gerard locking his office and letting go the stresses of the day. That was something he was getting better at, thanks to Frank; leaving work at the office. Home was for family, and he felt like he finally had one. They picked up Lola next door, and she gave a sleepy wave to Kristin before they headed down the elevator.

All was quiet in the elevator before Gerard broke the silence.

“You feel like takeout tonight?”

“Chinese?” Frank smiled, knowing Gerard was probably sick of Chinese by now, but also knowing he could probably twist his arm into agreeing.

Wrinkling up his nose, Gerard shook his head. “I think pizza sounds better. There’s a new place that delivers and has vegan options. Sound good?”

Leaning in close, Frank laid his head on Gerard’s shoulder, taking Lola’s hand as she dozed on Gerard’s other shoulder. He studied the two people he loved the most, and couldn’t believe that less than a year ago he was a poor, unemployed kid with no future, and now he had a stable job, a family, and a man he was proud to call his. Looking up at Gerard, he smiled.

“Sounds perfect.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts are always appreciated. Keep your eyes peeled for the epilogue!


End file.
